Glittering Gold
by The-First-Step
Summary: New York 1932. In a country in the depths of depression a woman makes a desperate deal with a mysterious businessman to save her home and her eyes are opened to a new world beneath the glitter, music and lights of New York's seething underbelly. AU obviously, and rated for themes, swearing and later chapters. Rumbelle canon so enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

One:

**OMG I can't believe I'm starting yet another fic on this sight, it's like I find a new muse literally crawling out of the woodwork and must write to satisfy the urge. This fic is a complete and utter experiment so feedback is most definitely welcome. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

New York, December 25th 1932. A city in the midst of depression, gripped by the frigid fingers of hunger and misery. Every day the crowds outside the soup kitchens grew, the churches overflowed with abandoned infants and the park overflowed with the stench of human suffering. Over the fetid city, a storm gathered. Swollen clouds covered the sky and only the bravest and most desperate stalked the city pavements heads bent against the freezing blasts off the Atlantic. One of these poor souls was a young girl, barely of age, struggled homewards, her pale face tucked away into the tattered shawl around her thin shoulders. As she passed Central park the heavens opened and the street was suddenly drenched, as though the sky itself wept for humanity. People scattered in every direction, desperate to find shelter, except the girl who simply paused. Standing in the centre of the soaking street she raised her face to the sky and allowed herself to be completely saturated by the sheets of water. People gawped. They always did, but she didn't care. She whirled and laughed openly, flagrantly challenging the weather, and restarted her walk.

"Strange girl." People whispered, watching her curiously as she passed, eager for any kind of spectacle to distract themselves. Belle de Boire continued towards her home, unperturbed by the rain around her. Drenched to the bone she entered her street and raced to the very end, jumping the small fence and hurrying to the door of her home. Her numbed fingers fumbled with the key but eventually she opened the door and pushed her way inside. To her surprise the place was silent and dark. The draft from the door sent her father's papers fluttering to the floor and she peered around the dimly lit room warily.

"Papa!" She called and hurriedly closed the door on the howling wind. Puddles began to form on the hardwood floor beneath her as a steady stream of water drained from her sopping woollen dress. She hung the soaking shawl up on its peg and stepped out of her ruined shoes. A faint cough could be heard from the depths of the house and she walked quickly through the living room, entering the tiny kitchen. It was no warmer in there for even the pot-bellied stove was unlit. A huddled figure slumped over the table, it's head buried in is arms.

"Papa?" Belle repeated and the man moved slowly, tiredly twisting to face his only child.

"Belle, I'm so sorry." He whispered softly and she knew, she knew he'd finally lost his job. Staggering to kneel beside him she took his rough, soot stained hand between her cold, pale ones and held it tenderly to her wet cheek.

"Oh Papa, we'll get by… it's Christmas, they wouldn't turn us out on Christmas." She said confidently and he coughed, his great shoulders shaking as the racking sounds echoed throughout the chilled house. The auburn haired girl shuddered and immediately helped him to his feet. He rose, like a child seeking comfort, and she lead him gently back into the only other room in the house. Lovingly she lay him down beneath the covers, stroked his forehead soothingly and kissed his scratchy cheek.

"Goodnight Papa, everything will be right tomorrow." She said and turned away briefly to strip her sodden dress and stockings from her dripping frame before towelling herself off quickly. Pulling on a faded linen shift she pulled back the other side of the covers and crawled into bed, like she always did, pressing herself into the small of her father's back. His warmth soon drove the chill from her body and she sighed happily, allowing her eyes to drift close.

OoOoOoO

It was snowing that Christmas and looking out of the window Belle smiled at the fresh winter blanket, its gentle purity driving away the cold, grey drizzle of New York's streets. She turned to face her father, Maurice, who sat by the table, a bottle of cheap beer in his hand. She frowned and moved to take it from him, eyeing it distastefully as she poured it down the sink.

"Now Papa, I'll be back after the service... I have to drop off that book I borrowed from Lettie." She said and kissed him on the cheek, her nose crinkling slightly as the coarse hair of his face tickled it. She laughed and stepped away. He smiled at her fondly.

"You're a good girl Belle, have fun." He called as she twirled happily on her heel and fled to the living room; stepping into her best pair of shoes, and tugging her plain light blue shawl on over her shoulders. She grabbed her basket, the book nestled safely inside.

"Bye Papa!" She called and stepped outside into the freshly fallen snow. Quickly she walked down the road to the little parish, where a large crowd was already gathered outside the door. She smiled politely at those who yelled their greetings and moved inside quickly to find a seat. The tiny church was packed with people and she smiled as she sidled down an unassuming pew to watch the quaint proceedings. Soon they began and she listened as the priest droned on with his Christmas message and partook in the communal hymn singing when the time came. She remembered the time when her mother had taken her every Sunday, clasping her beautiful rosary between her slender fingers and mouthing every line of the service as though they were a life line. _Mea culpa, mea culpa. _Nowadays Belle only had time for the odd service or two, and of course Christmas mass. With a chargrinned expression Belle bowed her head in prayer as the priest began to close the ceremony, she was sure her mother was rolling in her grave at her faithlessness. When the service was finished she stood with the congregation and moved to the front of the room. The priest, an aged man with white hair and shrew blue eyes turned as she approached.

"Greetings Belle, a Merry Christmas to you." He called and she smiled.

"Merry Christmas Father, I was wondering if you knew of anyone hiring at the moment?" She asked and the old man twisted to face her steadily. He sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry child but I'm afraid you would have to go and look at the boards on Broad, everyone's axing at the moment." He told her sadly and she nodded. He blessed her and she ducked her head respectively. Pivoting on her tiny heel she hurried down the aisle and out the door into the Christmas morning, delighted at the perfect snowflakes that fell all around her. She walked down the side of the street, smiling at passing children who played happily in the surrounding snow until she arrived at Lettie's Bookstore. A bell tinkled overhead as she stepped inside, the heat from the small stove doing wonders for her chilled fingers. Lettie was sitting behind her desk, her wire framed glasses perched expectantly on the bridge of her nose when she glanceed up. She smiled at Belle and waved her over.

"Belle, finished already?" She asked and Belle laughed. Handing the book to the mousy haired woman she nodded.

"I simply couldn't put it down. The story ended so wonderfully, oh Lettie if only such a thing were possible, if only there were more men like Darcy out there." She mused dreamily and Lettie chuckled fondly as she placed the book down on the desk.

"You never know my girl, one day you may get your Prince." She said and Belle smiled. Shaking her head she browsed the collection of tomes and plucked one from its place. Lettie smiled and waved of the proffered penny.

"Belle, you should know by now that I don't charge you… those books always come back in better condition than when I let them go. Go on!" Lettie ordered and pushed Belle towards the door. Belle giggled and stepped outside once again, calling her thanks over her shoulder. Bemusedly she hooked her basket over her arm. Humming to herself she perused the city streets, the book opened before her nose as she went. It was a skill she was quite proud of, her ability to amble through even the thickest of crowds with her nose buried in the pages of a book without once bumping into another living soul. She stopped briefly outside the post office, glancing at the crowded job board glued to its window whistfully before sighing and continuing on. She bit her lip as she worried over the rent. It was due in a few days but if her father was out of work then the landlord would surely kick them out. At that moment she saw a woman cross the street. She was dressed in a long unbuttoned overcoat that fell to her knees, beneath that her thin frame was clothed in a stained dress that might once have been lime green but now hung in torn folds around her thighs, exposing her garter and suspenders to the world which held up a pair of laddered stockings. Her hair was oily and fell in stray tangles around her sallow cheeks above which sunken brown eyes gazed at the world around her distantly.

"Ha'penny for a suck." She said to a passing man who brushed her off as one did a stray, flea-bitten dog, an expression of mild disgust on his face. She fell back and Belle moved to steady her. The woman tilted her head to glance at her before wrenching her arm free and sniffing haughtily.

"Don' need help from the likes of you missy." She spat and Belle coughed as the gut wrenching odour of stale sweat, gin and filth curled around her nostrils. The woman literally smelled of desperation and Belle sighed as she backed away from her ruefully.

"I'm sorry." She said and went to move away. From behind her she could hear the prostitute announcing her illicit wears for all the world to know and winced. Swearing to herself to starve before letting herself sink to that she stepped back onto the curb and reburied her nose into the adventures of Captain Nemo and his wondrous Nautilas. It took her about half an hour to reach Broad Street and she placed her book carefully into the basket over her arm, staring around the chaotic street in wonder. A sign heralding a jobs board caught her eye and she made her way over to it only to find it swarmed with people. Her heart sank but she pressed in to peer over shoulders and squeeze between elbows, thanking the stars for her slight figure which allowed her to move through the tight knit crannies of the crowd. She reached the board and ran a finger down the column of jobs vacancies available. A moment later a man appeared and shouted for everyone to back away. Something went off with a sharp bang and instantly the mob shrank away to admit the man who placed another sign over the top of the board. A small boy appeared at Belle's elbow, his pitifully wide eyes staring at the board blankly.

"Missus could you read us that?" He asked and she nodded.

"No vacancies." She read sadly and the boy's lip quivered. Belle clapped him on the shoulder comfortingly and just managed to catch a quick, brown hand snatch at her basket. He threw it in the air and she gasped, the sound brought the attention of a passing gentleman who shouted at a tiny girl who was now sprinting away, Belle's purse clutched in her tiny hands.

"Stop thief!" He yelled and the street paused to watch as the child was pursued. Belle watched stunned as a nearby police man caught the girl by her collar and began to drag her back up the street, all the while fighting as she kicked and spat like an alley cat in his grip.

"I didn't do nothing!" She was bellowing and Belle felt her heart break for the child who now stood before her, filthy cheeks lean with hunger as she gazed up at her. She bent down and clasped the tiny purse gently. Winking conspicuously at the girl she cleared her throat.

"Thank you for bring it back to me, I thought I had lost it." She said and the policeman frowned.

"What's this?" He asked gruffly and Belle, tucked a stray russet curl behind her ear shamefully.

"Gosh, I went to pay for a newspaper and found that I had dropped my purse on the way here… this little one was just fetching it for me." She lied and was glad to hear her voice didn't even quaver. The policeman shook the girl roughly by her grubby collar.

"Was that they way of things?" He glowered and she nodded quickly.

"Yes, missus dropped er purse, I's was jus fetchin it fer er." She muttered and her brother peered worriedly from a distance away. Belle smiled at the man who nodded and released the child without another word. He turned and marched away as the crowd slowly dispersed. Belle peeked down at the girl who was glaring at her with all her tiny might.

"You do know that your face with stay that way if the wind changes?" Belle teased her gently and the frown instantly faded away.

"You're fibbin me missus." The tike said bravely and Belle smirked. Nodding she opened her purse and pulled out one of the last pennies from its depths. Flicking it at the girl she waved and spun on her heel.

"Oi, thanks missus." The girl called and Belle twisted to respond only to find the child had disappeared like sea fog at midday. Her brother and partner in crime had also vanished and Belle shook her head bemusedly as she walked away. Her next problem was finding somewhere to think.

"That was a kind thing to do." A deeply accented voice called from beside her and her head snapped up to peer towards it curiously.

"What was?" She responded warily and an amused chuckle reached her ears. As she watched a man melted out form the crowd and moved towards her. He was tall, wiry and seemed to be dressed in an expensive-looking double breasted suit. She noticed that in his right hand he held a thin, black lacquered cane and tilted her face up to gaze into eyes dark as the sky before dawn. She swallowed and held her basket before her like some flimsy, half-hearted shield and lifted her chin bravely.

"Lying dearie, for those youngsters. Most people would just let the law take its course." He said, a thick Scottish brogue colouring his voice, and she shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm not most people." She retorted and the corner of his thin mouth twitched upwards.

"I guessed that for myself dearie… what I don't get it why you would pay them though." He mused as though the concept of common decency was as foreign to him as the very moon. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.

"It's Christmas." She answered simply and he rolled his obsidian eyes sardonically.

"Of course, Christmas." He sneered and she quirked a brow.

"My question is why it bothers you so much." She asked and he smiled, his lips peeling back in a grin that was just a little alarming. Perhaps this man, despite his nice suit, was not quite right in the head.

"I saw you looking at the board my dear, I'm a business man you see… always room for investment." He murmured and she cocked her head to scrutinise at him calculatingly.

"You're hiring?" She asked and he nodded, playing with the tip of his cane idly as he mused over their conversation.

"Indeed, are you interested?" He asked and she brought a hand to her chin cynically.

"What exactly would I be doing?" She asked wryly and he smile broadened, if that were possible.

"Oh a little of this, little of that." He said cheerfully and she frowned.

"I'll think about it Mr…?" She paused and he snickered.

"Gold dearie, the name's Gold." He announced proudly and she puzzled over it for a moment, wondering where she'd heard it before.

"Mr Gold. Well, Mr Gold I have to say it's been a pleasure but I have to go home… my Papa is waiting for me." She said and he nodded, the smile gone and replaced by a bland, business hardened expression.

"Now dearie, I've told you my name and you seemed to have forgone your own." Gold said lazily and Belle slapped herself mentally for her rudeness.

"Belle de Boire." She said and extended her hand instinctively. Gold stared at it for a few moments in apparent shock before reaching out and clasping it firmly in his own gloved one.

"A pleasure." He said huskily and she felt her cheeks flush a little. Gently withdrawing her fingers from his she turned to peer around her and sighed.

"Well Mr Gold, I'll see you around." She said and Mr Gold nodded. A flicker of white caught her eye and he placed a smooth, crisp card into her palm. Winking cheekily at her he stepped away and pivoted on his heel. In moments, despite the obvious limp, he had disappeared into the crowd leaving Belle standing alone of the sidewalk with a small card in her hand and a stunned expression on her face. In a daze she wandered back the way she'd come, her book and Christmas totally forgotten as she stared down at the tiny paper card. Tucking it safely into the pocket of her coat she began to once again hum a cheerful carol, skipping slightly along the street.

OoOoOoO

"Papa?" Belle called as she jumped the fence. Momentarily forgetting her heels she found herself slipping on the icy path and grabbed at the flimsy wooden posts. Berating herself mentally she moved towards the open door and peered inside.

"Papa, I told you to keep the door… PAPA!" She cried as a scene of total devastation met her gaze. The living room had been completely decimated, the sparse furniture overturned and even smashed against the thin plastered walls, cushions ripped and their stuffing strew across the floor that was littered with smashed glass and skid marks. Belle stepped over the fallen coat rack and hurried into the similarly destroyed kitchen which resembled a devastated village a tornado had blown through. Crockery lay smashed in pieces upon the floor and the table was lying on its side.

"Papa!" She called frantically and a soft groan reached her ears from the bedroom. Moving towards it she flung the door open to see her beloved Papa sprawled across the floor, his face a bloody mess and his clothes torn and stained with dried blood. Flinging her basket to the floor she fell to her knees beside him and carefully tilted his face towards her.

"Papa please open your eyes." She begged and Maurice de Boire's swollen eyes gingerly twitched open. Tears were now streaking down Belle's cheeks as she cradled her father against her chest.

"Who did this to you?" She demanded and he coughed, bloody phelgum bursting out from between his splint lips. It landed on her Sunday dress, a dainty blue frock of crimped crinoline and lace but she didn't care.

"Who Papa?" She spat and he opened his mouth.

"That band of misfits, the Ogres." He said and Belle felt her mouth thin out into a sharp line of fury.

"They did this to you?" She demanded and he nodded.

"Because I gave them lip yesterday. I had lost my job and was being stupid, oh god Belle please forgive me." He pleaded and Belle shushed him. Leaving him momentarily she raced back into the kitchen and grabbed a nearby tea towel to carefully begin to wipe the grime from his abused face, her tears providing adequate moisture to wash it clean. When she'd done as much as possible she hauled him to his feet and half carried him to the bed, laying him in it and pulling the covers to his chin. His eyes closed and within moments he was asleep. Tremulously she re-entered the devastated house, taking in the destruction through numbed eyes. Everything of value had been destroyed, the furniture, china-wear and even the clothes that had been out at the time the Ogres had been there. Belle bit her lip and her hands planted themselves on her hips. For the next three hours she attempted to clean up the house, sweeping up the broken crockery and glass and dumping it outside into the trash. The stuffing from the pillows she tried to save, thinking perhaps she'd at least try to mend them before giving up hope. Finally all the furniture was heaved into its correct positions and that which was broken was also taken outside and dumped on the street. On her final trip Belle heard their neighbour, Mrs Harris, call out to her from her upstairs window.

"I saw them lass. Have you called the lawmen yet?" She asked and Belle shook he head.

"No point is there Mrs Harris, if it was the Ogres than its better I don't say anything." She said and the woman clucked disapprovingly.

"It aint right." She said and Belle nodded.

"It ain't right for them to treat decent folk this way, this neighbourhood used to be safe and now I wouldn't let my grandson stay here for a day let alone live here… it's this depression, sent everyone mad it has." She Mrs Harris continued doggedly and Belle smiled thinly, waving absently over her shoulder.

"You take care now Belle, keep that door locked." Her neighbour called and Belle sighed, closing the wooden portal closed and sinking against it tiredly. Grabbing her basket from the kitchen she moved the stretch out on the sette and opened her book, only to find her mind wouldn't let her concentrate on the story. She realised that she was furious, her blood fair boiling at the sheer nerve of these bullies, these cowards who picked on innocent people who had little more to survive on then they did. White hot fury filled her and she stood angrily to pace the room. What a fine way to spend Christmas, beating an old man half to hell because their stupid prides had been pricked. Her mood now irrevocably ruined Belle paced the living room, determined to not only wear a trail into the floor but come up with a sufficient plan to get them back without causing further harm to anyone else. Unfortunately her brain storming was interrupted by a knock at the door and she walked over to it, her mouth opening to berate the person stupid enough to disturb her temper tantrum. Throwing it open she paused and stared in shock at the red roses that filled her vision. The man behind it was tall with broad, muscular shoulders and a dashing smile he all too readily displayed for the female view. All in all Gaston was a fine specimen of a man but Belle had always found him to be obnoxious and rather too dim for her tastes. Everything was about cars and guns, nothing substantial like the day's politics or mission trips to the orphanages of India. No more often than not Belle found herself trying to withhold the urge to strange herself on her scarf whilst listening to the man speak. He was nice to her but extremely dull, not at all what she wanted in a beau. She told him this often however he unfortunately took her constant rejections as a sign of playing it cool and persisted in pursuing her as he would a deer.

"My loveliest Belle, Merry Christmas." Gaston's voice sounded from behind the enormous bouquet and Belle could do nothing other than take the impressive bunch from his outstretched hand.

"G-gaston, what on earth?" She demanded and lifted her gaze to meet the handsome face of the man before her. He smiled and bent to press a swift kiss to her lips, catching her ear instead when she hurriedly twisted her face away.

"They're for you, roses on Christmas." He said and she nodded.

"I can see that but why?" She asked and he frowned.

"Now Belle, is it not customary for a man to give a woman flowers?" He asked and she quirked a single brow scornfully.

"Indeed but that generally done when they are together, which we are not." She added swiftly when she saw his mouth open to retort. It clamped shut and his blue eyes were narrowed slightly with irritation.

"They're lovely but I just don't have time for this today, please let me finish my…"

"Belle when are you going to get you head out of those bloody books and focus you attention on important things, like me?" He asked and Belle put a finger to her mouth in mock wonder.

"Let me see, not for a long time." She snapped and slammed the door in his stunned face. Furiously she threw the red blooms against the wall, washing their crimson petals fall like bloody snow to the floor.

"Urgh! What a chauvinistic, self-centred pig!" She muttered to herself and stomped back into the living room to flop down on the sette. Frustrated that her Christmas was now ruined Belle glared at the broken clock on the mantel and watched idly as the hands moved stoically around and around, counting the very minutes till she could be acceptably miserable in public.

OoOoOoO

"Papa, we need the money." She reasoned sensibly but still her father refused to co-operate, stubbornly shaking his sandy head and glaring at her reproachfully.

"No Belle, you don't even know what this man is asking of you… when I feel up to it I'll head to the notice board and ask around." He said and she frowned. He grasped her had tightly and made her focus on at him.

"Promise me you won't contact this Mr Gold, whoever he is, promise me you'll at least wait." He begged and she shook her head reluctantly.

"Papa, we have two days to pay the rent and we have two pennies in my purse to cover it… you're out a job and I'm old enough to start working for our keep, give me a chance." She pleaded and Maurice de Boire groaned as his only child stared at him with wide, beseeching azure eyes.

"My baby Belle." He murmured and she clasped his hand tightly, bringing it to her cheek as she'd done since she as a small girl.

"I'm not a baby any more Papa, I'm 18 years old, I can do this." She said confidently and finally her father nodded. Excitedly she raced to the door and paused. Rushing back she kissed the top of his head lovingly before running out of the room to grab her shawl and winter stockings from where they hung beside the stove. Tugging them on she stepped into her shoes and walked out the door. She was barely able to make out the post office for all the roiling snow floating from the grey clouded sky above her. Stubbornly she wound her way towards it and pushed open the door of the small store, easing her way towards the payphone on the far wall. Taking out the business card and a single penny from her threadbare pocket she offered a quick prayer to whatever diety existed that she was doing the right thing before sliding the penny into the slot and reading the mysterious name on the card. The phone clicked in her ear and a smooth female voice asked her for her request. Hastily Belle gave her the name and waited as the woman connected her through. It rang out exactly three times before a familiar Scottish voice sounded in her ear.

"This is Gold." He said and Belle took a deep breath.

"Um, Mr Gold?" She asked and a small chuckle echoed through the phone.

"Well now if it isn't the orphan saving angel of Broad St, what can I do you for dearie?" He asked and Belle stared stunned at the wall above the phone.

"You remember me?" She asked and the chuckled rang out again, louder this time and distinctly more genuine.

"Indeed Belle, I do… have you reconsidered my proposal?" Gold asked and Belle took a deep fortifying breath.

"I have but I would like to know exactly what I would be doing should I actually accept it." She asked and the man on the other end of the phone paused as though contemplating whether it was worth answering her question. He was silent for so long Belle considered actually hanging up.

"Do you know of The Palace?" He asked after a long pause and Belle's throat caught, a thick lump at its base.

"Yes." She said and Gold snorted.

"I can't offer respectability, or even that much security, but I can offer you paid work that will see your rent paid weekly." He said and she swallowed.

"What else?" She asked and Gold was once again laughing through the phone.

"My, my I was under the impression I was offering employment, not five star contractual work but since you've asked I could see what I can do about a certain gang problem you seem to have run afoul of recently." He remarked idly and Belle inhaled sharply. Clutching the phone so tightly her knuckles showed white she whispered hoarsely into the phone.

"How do you know about that?" She demanded angrily, outraged at the thought of him prying.

"I'm a businessman Belle, I investigate any investment I undertake most carefully before I take a step." He said and she knew by his tone that he wouldn't answer any more questions about it now. She thought over her options, which there weren't very many of and sighed.

"Do we have a deal then?" She asked and Gold snorted.

"Do you agree to sign yourself entirely to my employ, without question?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yes." She said firmly and even he seemed a little stunned.

"Are you sure?" He asked and she knew she was being given a chance to back out. She remembered her father's battered face, the destroyed furniture and Gaston's superior smirk.

"Yes I'm sure." She said and Gold hummed with satisfaction.

"Very well, I'll be around tomorrow with the contract." He said and she was suddenly listening to the buzz of a disconnected phone. Slamming the contraption into its cradle she stepped away and covered her face with her hands.

"What have I done?" She asked herself and spun on her heel to dash out of the crowded shop. She pelted down the white covered avenue before sprinting to her door and kicking it open. Stripping down hurriedly she launched herself onto the sette and picked up her book as her Papa lurched from their room to see what was happening.

"Belle darling, what has happened?" He asked and she shrugged.

"I got the job." She said and Maurice swallowed heavily, his livid bruises seeming to bulge slightly before he recovered his grace and leant against the doorframe.

"Good for you sweetheart but what's the problem?" He asked and she sighed heavily.

"I start tomorrow, Mr Gold will be here to give me the contract." She said and her Papa started warily.

"A contract, you never said…"

"I know but he just told me he'd be coming so I guess that's the end of that." She said and he groaned, rubbing his faced tiredly and wincing when he brushed the tender flesh a little too roughly.

"If you don't mind I think I'll go to bed now Papa, I'm not all that hungry." She said and he nodded, allowing her to step past him and enter their shared bedroom. She stripped, donned her nightgown and crawled beneath the thin sheets. For hours she lay alone, unable to sleep and even when her Papa came in, blew out their candle and climbed in beside her she was still awake long after he'd slipped off to sleep. Her mind, simply too nervous for sleep churned worriedly through the night until finally, just before dawn she managed to slip into a fitful doze.

OoOoOoO

The unfamiliar sound of a car pulling up at the door made Belle's head snap up from the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in her lap and she found herself frozen to the spot.

"He's here Papa." She called and heard him moved to the door and open it.

"Mr Gold I presume?" He asked and she heard the tell-tale rumble of a brogue echo from the door.

"Ah Mr de Boire. I doubt I need explain my presence to you." Gold said and her Papa's visibly tightened with anger.

"No, come in." He said and Gold stepped smartly over the threshold, staring around the place in a calculating manner that set Belle's teeth on edge.

"I can assure you Mr Gold it won't call down around you." She quipped and his onyx eyes flickered to her, taking her entire person in shrewdly before a small smirk twisted his lips.

"Dearie me, someone didn't sleep well last night." He observed and she pulled a face.

"Speak for yourself." She retorted and, catching her Papa's eye, clamped her mouth shut and stood gracefully. Or rather she tried to stand gracefully but just ended up stumbling over the leg of the sette and managing to embarrass herself further in front of the impeccably dressed man before her. Another black suit adorned his thin frame and his right hand curled around the ever present cane. In the other he held a tight roll of paper which she took to be her contract. He noticed her gaze on it and smiled.

"Shall we?" He asked and she straightened her shoulders.

"Sooner rather than later." She said with as much bravado as she could. He smiled and she moved past him to take a pen from the drawer and hold out her hand for the contract. He handed it to her and she unfolded it quickly. Her eyes scanned the neatly written document and several phrases caught her attention immediately.

"I have to leave with you?" She asked and her Papa spluttered indignantly from behind them.

"Absolutely not." He thundered and Gold snorted.

"Dearie you made a deal, either stick to it…"

"I will." She said irritable and turned to face her father bravely.

"Papa, it is alright. I'll send you letters by the dozen so it'll be like I'm here anyway." She said and tried to ignore the slight glimmer in her beloved father's eyes. She examined Mr Gold instead and raised her chin a notch.

"Any other surprises I should know about?" She asked ad he shrugged.

"Possibly but you'll have time to find them, I assure you." He said and she nodded. Taking the pen she held it above the line at the base of the document and paused.

"And our agreement?" She asked and he held a hand over his heart.

"I swear to honour our agreement." He promised and she knew that he would. Despite the risk she knew she was taking she instinctively guessed that he would keep his word no matter what happened. Shakily she signed the paper and handed it to him, placing the pen down as he grasped it and checked it over carefully before curling it back up cautiously. The he held out his hand.

"Come dearie, your carriage awaits." Gold announced and she stared at his arm for a moment before slipping her fingers around it and stepping closer to him. She was surprised to find that up close he smelled of musky sandle-wood and woollen thread. She blushed slightly and followed as Gold tugged her gently to the door.

"Go to the car." He commanded and she opened her mouth to protest, to ask to say goodbye and he frowned.

"You promised to leave without question." He reminded her and she snapped her mouth shut and glanced back once to see her broken looking father.

"I love you Papa." She said and he blew her a kiss which she wished she could have returned without Gold's prying eyes upon them. Suddenly close to tears she whirled on her heel and stalked jauntily to the car, climbing into the back seat without embarrassing herself and staring resolutely ahead. A few moments later Gold sidled awkwardly into the back, his cane making it only slightly uncomfortable since he now needed to anticipate a second person beside him in the small space.

"Go." He order brusquely and the car slid forward smoothly. The last thing Belle saw when she peered back was the imposing figure of her Papa, standing in the doorway of his now empty house, tears sliding down his rough, bearded cheeks.

**Holy crap on a cracker, this was really, really hard to write. I have fallen in love with the whole Rumbelle canon, second only to my internal love affair of Robert Carlyle who plays our amazing rumple in UoaT. Please let me know if you think this is worth continuing, it's kind of an experiment so please review and let me know. **


	2. Chapter 2

Two:

**All that I can possibly start saying right now is a massive round of thank yous to everyone who reviewed the first chapter of this fic, it was nice to hear you all liked at least some part of it and subsequently I shall endeavour to please you all with this next instalment. Hope you like it **

Gold couldn't help but cast rapid glances towards the female occupant of his car. Perhaps it was the quiet, dignified way she sat beside the opposite window, her auburn hair creating an effective shield between his gaze and her pale, pretty face that made his eyes flick compulsory towards her only to snap back to the front of the vehicle as though nothing of the sought had taken place. Belle shifted slightly on the hard leather seat and he caught a flash of porcelain-fine skin emerging from beneath the unbuttoned collar of her sensible, gingham dress. Oh yes Belle de Boire was an extremely beautiful woman and only a fool refused to acknowledge that. However, Gold knew the reason his eyes kept straying towards Belle was not because of her uncommon beauty, enchanting to the lesser man as it may be, but because of her calm acceptance of her drastically altered fate. It was odd to see a person so young dealing with change in a manner be likened to someone far older than she. Many of the desperate souls he'd contracted to work for him had reacted as though some great catastrophe had occurred, wailing and pleading for him to release them when they arrived at their future home. He reminded himself that he had told her where she would be going and she had still agreed. He'd never lied, exaggerated and manipulated some of the facts but never lied. He grimaced as the words of Maurice de Boire resurfaced in the forefront of his mind.

"_Take care of my daughter Gold." He paused upon the threshold of the man's house. Turning back he grinned callously at the man's obvious distress._

"_I always take care of my property Mr de Boire, have a good day." He said flippantly and moved to walk away but found his shoulder seized in a tight grip he knew would be rather tiresome to physically remove. Rolling his eyes he glanced back at Maurice and indicated for him to continue. _

"_She's my only child Gold, if you mistreat her in any way…" _

"_You'll do what?" Gold sneered and the man's florid cheeks blanched wickedly in the snowy morning air. Gold carefully removed the offending appendage on his shoulder and stepped away swiftly. _

"_Keep in mind Mr de Boire, Belle made this deal herself and I will honour it but do not expect me to give her special treatment simply because she is the only offspring the sanctity of holy matrimony sought fit to bequeath you." He taunted, giggling quietly as he pivoted away and stalked down the walkway to climb into the back seat, where Belle awaited silently him. _

He was brought back to the present by a soft sigh, issuing from the mouth of his fellow passenger. He smiled and tapped his cane thoughtfully upon the floor.

"Penny for your thoughts." He said and the girl jumped. He sniggered and she glared, tucking a stray russet curl behind her ear as she did so.

"You didn't give me a chance to pack anything." She said and Gold chuckled wickedly, leaning closer to peer at the girl who could be no more than 18 or 19 years of age. How typical for a woman to be annoyed about a few clothes. Her azure gaze held his and he rolled his eyes mockingly.

"Why dearie, I thought it was obvious, you will of course be performing all duties I set you completely naked." He said seriously and took great delight in the way all the colour in her face drained away like water down a hole. He grinned and cleared his throat smugly.

"That was a quip dearie; all practical needs you may require will of course be provided for you." He assured her and saw her shoulders relax as though a 12 tonne weight had suddenly been lifted from them.

"That wasn't funny." She retorted and he smirked broadly.

"On the contrary I found it rather hilarious." Gold muttered and looked over to see her face had returned to its usual pallor and her oceanic eyes aflame with carefully checked fury. She huffed and directed her gaze to the world outside the car.

"You women always worry about the strangest things." He pricked and she shrugged.

"I wasn't complaining, I just didn't want to be any more of a burden to you than I obviously am… I could have brought them and saved you the trouble." She replied airily and Gold felt surprised at her stark honesty. Unable to think of anything to say he returned his own attention to the handle of his cane. Silence reigned between them until the sleek automobile pulled up outside his Palace. Smiling, Gold prepared to disembark, taking his cane firmly in hand and opening the door. He clambered out in an unrushed fashion, pausing to gaze around the snow covered street with quiet disdain. He then spun to hold out a hand to Belle as she too moved to exit the car and for a moment he thought she'd refuse his aid. She peered at his outstretched palm as though unsure of what is was then she sighed and grasped it tightly, allowing him to assist her as she alighted from the sleek black vehicle and stared in amazement at the building before her.

OoOoOoO

It was a building Belle had never in all her relatively short life seen before. Sure, she'd heard of The Palace, everyone had, but never had she actually seen it. She had enough sense to remind herself to stop her jaw from falling open and she gazed up at the building in awe, ignoring Gold's obviously amused expression as he handed her regally out of the car. The gesture itself was polite and startled her greatly. Her impression of Mr Gold, from what little she did know, was that he was a man all to himself and a second sense informed her that he was not that inclined towards physical contact. Taking the opportunity as it came she allowed him to help her, no sense in embarrassing the man she now worked for him. Gazing around her she saw that she was in the Upper East Side area, surrounded by lovely sky soaring towers and fashionably dressed people that made her own neat outfit seem terribly bland in comparison. It was a nice dress, at least she had thought so that morning when she'd put it on and she was proud to say she had made most of it herself. A straight knee-length red skirt tailored to suit from an old one that had belonged to her mother and a sensible cream coloured blouse she'd sewn delicate but false pearl buttons onto. Over that she wore a short sleeved red blazer and as always her shawl which was fashioned around her neck in such a way as to keep the chill of December away. Contrastly, as she watched, a woman walked by, draped in a thick fur coat that probably coast more than a full months wages, high heeled cream-coloured shoes with matching nylon stockings and a cloche that appeared to shimmer velvety-black over close cropped blonde curls. As the woman passed Belle tilted her head quizzically then shook her head bemusedly.

"I feel sorry for the poor creature that went towards making that coat, more so for her though, maybe her husband hit it on the way home but either way she looks like road kill." She said quietly, to herself, but Gold's amused chuckle told her he'd heard her. She pulled a face and returned her attention to the building she assumed to be his. It stretched towards the heavens, twin spires piercing the roiling cloud bells like enormous steel knives. It was extremely grand, with impressive grey-granite pillars giving it a distinctive gothic appearance beside the remarkably modern skyscrapers around it. Approximately four stories high it wasn't as large as many of its glittering neighbours but numerous people, including herself, found themselves unable to tear their gazes from it.

"I wasn't expecting it to be so…! She whispered and Gold quirked a brow at her. She shrugged helplessly and cocked her head to stare once more at the building.

"It's beautiful." She breathed and heard Mr Gold's surprised cough.

"It's enough." He said finally and she frowned. Facing him squarely she quirked a derisive brow and folded her arms across her chest.

"When you live a three roomed cottage in downtown Manhattan for most of your life one learns to appreciate beautiful buildings when they see them." She snapped and shuddered, bring her arms closer to her body as a frigid gust of wind sent the end of her dress flying about her legs in a mad, chilled dance. She found herself being suddenly lead towards The Palace. They walked through the opulent front doors which were pulled open graciously by two neatly dressed men, resplendid in black and gold uniforms. The atrium was a grand thing too, larger than her entire house and paved almost entirely with marble. Her small heels clicked audibly along with the rhythmic thud of Gold's cane upon the floor as they made their way past two pairs of closed doors towards a golden painted elevator. Her mouth twitched at the sight and she tried not to gawp too much as they stepped inside and he pressed the top most button. The elevator's fleur-de-lis iron doors clanged shut and it rose nosily upwards, passing two more floors before finally stopping at the highest point of the building. She noticed that this floor was bare of extravagance; its floor being scuffed hardwood rather than beautifully crafted marble, it's windows uncovered by red velvet drapes and two long corridors branching off the dimly lit atrium space. She felt herself pushed forward and out of the gilded death trap by Gold who smirked into her stunned face through the now closed gate of the elevator.

"This is your floor, keep it clean and undamaged. Your duties start tomorrow morning, I like my tea to be served at seven o'clock sharp." He said curtly and pressed a button on the side. He jerked as though remembering something.

"Oh and Belle, do not under any circumstances enter the West Wing of this floor." He warned her and his brogue deepened to a timbre that sent shivers down her spine, and not in any way that seemed to bode well. She opened her mouth to question him but the noise of the confounded contraption overruled her and he slipped out of sight. When she was sure he was out of ear shot Belle felt a single tear finally trickle down the side of her face. Wiping it away stubbornly she moved through the deserted floor and looked down each corridor warily.

"Do not enter the West Wing." She repeated to herself and paused momentarily to stare down the aforementioned hallway which disappeared into darkness towards the West. Her mouth for some inexplicable reason went dry and the hairs stood up on the back of her neck. Hurriedly she pivoted to face the East and moved hurriedly down the corridor, trying the doors which remained locked to her until a small step-ladder at the very end of it drew her gaze upwards. Through the hole she could dimly make out the inside of the spire she had seen from the street and sighed, realising that this was her intended room. Carefully removing her heeled shoes she climbed the ladder and popped her head and shoulders through the hole to peer around the black space.

"Lovely." She announced sarcastically and hoisted herself through, knocking over something that echoed through the pitch black room like metallic thunder. She flinched and felt around for it desperately, grasping a handle and drawing a gas lantern towards her. Continued exploration yielded a box of matches which she used to light the lamp and peer around her future home timidly. It was small and circular, with a roof that hoisted high above her head into gathering gloom. A small bed sat tucked against one wall, a wooden chest at its foot. A water basin and a solid looking desk also revealed themselves in the light of her lamp. Belle grimaced and moved towards the bed, finding the covers to be of a hardy, scratchy material she knew would be uncomfortable but at least warm during these winter months. With relief her light also illuminated the ruffle of curtains which she opened quickly, her face brightening as the midday sunlight streamed into the tiny, turreted room. Below her the sprawl of New York stretched out into the distance, people moving doggedly towards wherever they need to go. She blew out the lamp and placed it on the desk beside her slightly chipped china water basin. Moving to the trunk at the foot of her bed she unlatched the locks and hefted the lid to peer at its contents. Gold had indeed been telling the truth when he said she'd have the necessities. Several, identical cotton dresses, some woollen stockings and a pair of sensible black shoes met her curious gaze. Another blanket was also tucked in there, along with a sheet of linen she could use in her toilette. Satisfied she was well stocked Belle closed the lid of the trunk and stood, moving to sit down on the sagging bed and allow her mind time to take in her situation and surroundings. Refusing to let herself cry or to feel sorry for herself she suddenly felt exhausted, physically and mentally, and slipped sideways, her head coming to rest on the thin pillow. The blanket was indeed scratchy but Belle was far too tired to care. A slight smile on her lips she closed her eyes and felt her body relaxed completely into the lumpy mattress.

OoOoOoO

The next day dawned slowly and Belle rose before the sun. Her eyelids were already several hours open by the time red-gold sunlight came through the windows of The Palace. Sighing and sitting up with a small groan, Belle stretched and moved her neck gingerly this way and that until a satisfied crack sounding through the room when her stiff muscles accustomed themselves with her wakefulness. Standing she moved in the dark to the foot of her bed and hefted the lid open, drawing a set of her new clothes from its depths and shaking them out as much as she could to rid them of creases she knew she'd have to iron. Slipping off her red outfit she hurriedly drew on the stockings, sombre navy dress and shoes. The stockings fit and the shoes only pinched slightly but the dress was far too big about her hips and the hem brushed the higher part of her ankle when it should have been somewhere around her knees or at least, for her, mid-calf. Feeling her hair she frowned, running her fingers through it hurriedly before tying the unruly, russet curls back into a small chinon at the base of her neck. She went to the water basin and splashed her face with the frigid water, effectively shaking the last traces of tiredness from her body. Satisfied that this was as good as she was ever likely to get Belle turned on her heel and stalked to the ladder, cautiously easing down the rungs on tentative tip toe and hurrying down the corridor towards the elevator. Pressing the only button she could find on the wall beside it she smiled as she heard it making its valiant way up the shaft and prized the iron bars open to step through. Her conundrum finally made itself known when she realised she had no idea where the kitchens were. Chewing her thumb nail she pressed the floor below her and clutched the side of the god awful contraption as it descended. The next floor down was only slightly more well off than hers, at least here the floor looked like it had been polished once upon a time. She stepped out and gazed around. The whole building seemed devoid of sound, as though the place were waiting for her to make the next move.

"Faint heart never won fair lady." She muttered and stepped towards the hallway on her right. She tried every door on that floor but not a single won was unlocked so she returned to the elevator and pressed the next button down. When the doors were wrenched apart for the second time she saw that again the place seemed to have improved. There were polished wooden floors, sensible black curtains on the windows and even a small chandelier in the centre of the roof above her. She hurried to search but stopped when once again no doors would open for her. She got the impression that the house was silently laughing at her, bemused with er unsuccessful attempts to find a bloody kitchen. Grumbling she re-entered the elevator for what she hoped would be her last time and pressed the second floor button. Stepping out she was met but gaudy décor, deep plush carpets and glittering chandeliers all around. She stepped forward and went to check the doors, stopping dead when her ears picked up something odd. Strange sounds filled these hallways and she paused to cock her head and listen. Her mouth fell open in horror as she instantly placed the rhythmic grunting and occasional screams. Stumbling back she pressed the next button down and felt her stomach begin to roil. She heard all kinds of rumours about The Palace but to actually have proof, to know what went on beyond its grey stone walls, was enough to make her feel violently ill. She shuddered as the elevator reached the final floor and she stepped out into the marble floor atrium she had walked across with Mr Gold the day before. She saw that the sun had risen and her detour had taken more time then she'd realised. Two doors lead out from the room and she puzzled briefly over which to take. One was a single, wooden portal with limited ornament and the other a glamorous pair of gilded timber. Taking a chance she walked to the one on her left and whirled when someone coughed pointedly. One of the footmen was looking at her, his mouth tipped at one side in an amused smirk.

"You the new girl?" He asked with a distinctly West Side accent and she nodded. He smiled kindly and pointed to the door opposite.

"I think you'll find the room through there is more to your liking." He said helpfully and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." She said and he dipped his head briefly before standing once more to attention. Conversation now over Belle walked over to the door and hauled it open. A dim corridor met her gaze and she quickly walked through it until it open onto a bustling kitchen, filled with delectable smells and hissing pots. The steam cleared a little and she saw a grey haired woman standing over a large pot bellowing something to a slim dark haired girl dressed in siren red. Belle walked towards them and coughed. The girl turned and eyed her curiously.

"Granny, look we got ourselves a visitor." She said to the woman how spun to fix Belle with a calculating stare that had her reminiscing her long ago school days. Straightening her hair Belle smiled tightly at the pair.

"Hello, I'm sorry to disturb you I'm…"

"Belle? Yes we know, Mr Gold let us know you'd be here now. I'm Widow Lucas and this I my grand-daughter Ruby, I cook and she, well, she waits the tables I guess." Widow Lucas said and Belle nodded awkwardly. Ruby smiled and stretched out a neatly manicured hand.

"Pleased to meet you Belle, you're a looker aren't you?" She mused and Belle felt her cheeks heat quite suddenly. She mumbled a denial but shook Ruby's offered hand gratefully. She found it hard to believe when she looked at Ruby's glowing brown eyes, fresh skin and glossy black hair.

"Just call her Granny, everyone does." She whispered and Belle smiled.

"Now you'll be needing Mr Gold's tea won't you?" Granny said and Belle nodded. Granny smirked and pointed to a shelf behind them that held an array of crockery and tea pots.

"That man has a fetish for tea I swear, drinks the stuff like it's going out of fashion." She said and moved to take down a plain white set of Royal Albert China tea cups from the shelf and place them on a silver tray she'd pulled from beneath it. She bustled around, showing Belle the basics of the small kitchen and placing the kettle over the fire to boil. When that was done she went to organise the rest of the tray, roasting freshly sliced bread over the roaring flames and fetching what appeared to be home-made jam from a shelf in the pantry. Belle sat beside Ruby and watched as the silver haired woman moved around her kitchen with all the ease of a skilled professional.

"So what's your deal then?" Ruby asked and Belle jumped. Her lips tightened of their own accord and she sighed heavily.

"My Papa was about to lose our house. He'd lost his job, our rent hasn't been paid for three weeks and to make matters worse some good for nothing gang broke in a smashed everything worth pawning to splinters." Belle said but shrugged at Ruby's small gasp.

"It could have been worse." She said and smiled at her dark haired companion.

"How'd you meet Mr Gold?" Ruby demanded and Belle shook her head in amazement.

"He found me I suppose, I was looking at the job board on Broad and he just walked up to me, offered me his card and told me about the deal." Belle said and Ruby nodded. Granny had since removed the gently browning toast from the fire and placed it on a delicate silver holder on the tray, whilst placing the jam and butter beside it. Belle's own stomach grumbled at the sight of the rich food. She tried to think back on the last time she'd had jam and sighed, knowing she shouldn't have had to think for more than three seconds on the matter. The kettle whistled and Belle hopped up.

"I'll get it." She said to Granny who nodded and went back to whatever she'd been doing before Belle had interrupted. Belle slipped on a pair of mits and grasped the boiling kettle tightly, transferring it across the room and pouring the water into the beautifully crafted tea pot on its proudly glimmering tray.

"Have you got everything?" Ruby asked and Belle hurriedly placed the sugar pot and milk beside the toast rack and tea set. Nodding she lifted the tray carefully and proceeded towards the hallways she'd come through.

"Not through there." Granny said and she paused. Granny smiled kindly and pointed towards a set of stone steps that lead upwards.

"Those lead up to his office, it's the third door on your right. Hurry it's almost seven." She said and Belle thanked her. Carefully setting the tray she walked over to the stairs and eased her way upwards, calling a swift goodbye to Ruby over her shoulder. She walked over what appeared to be two whole flights of spiral stairs before, finally, she reached a door and pushed it open with her hip, closing it quickly behind her with her heel.

"Third door on your right." She said and moved to stand before the named door. She drew a shaky breath and levered the tray to balance on one palm. Cautiously she knocked and a familiar brogue answered.

"Intrude." It said and she giggled. Opening the door she sat Gold sitting behind an impressive wooden desk, his head bent over some papers spread over its shiny, polished surface. She gazed around the room and smiled. It was very him. Large and expansive it held Gold's desk which sat before a staggering enormous set of black curtains, which completely blocked out the sun's weak rays. The place was lit by an efficient set of ceiling lamps, made of frosted glass with hand painted gold and green spirals. A small fire blazed in its marbled grate on the wall to her right and she sighed as its warmth drove away the chill of New York winter from the air. Before it were two dark green armchairs and a small table. The wooden floor was perfectly smooth and bared except for the desk, his high backed chair and, strangely enough, an old wooden spinning wheel which sat in a dusty corner with its stool. It was an odd thing for a man like Gold to have, much less display in his office, but Belle wasn't there to question and so kept her mouth shut, clamping down on the curiosity that bubbled inside her. Gold finished writing on the last of his papers and looked up at her.

"Ah Belle, on time at least I see." He said and she nodded.

"Put it over there dearie." He said and she obeyed. Coming forwards she placed the tray carefully on the small table by the fireplace before stepping back. Clasping the tea pot she cocked her head and smiled at him.

"How do you take it?" She asked and he pushed back from the desk, grabbed his cane and moved around the table to walk over to her.

"White, two sugars." He answered tersely and she poured the sweet smelling brew into one of the beautiful cups, adding two sugars and a careful dash of milk. As she did so she listened as he informed her of her duties.

"You are to keep this building clean, all the floors will be open to you, except of course for the West Wing." He reminded her and she smiled.

"Torture chamber you don't want me to know about." She teased and he smirked.

"Of course dearie, not for tender eyes though." He replied without missing a beat and she frowned playfully at him as she held out the steaming cup.

"You are also responsible for the laundry, my meals, groceries and…" He paused and she nodded absently.

"Bringing me the freshly pelted skins of small animals so I can fashion them into a coat for next Christmas." He said and she gasped, the tea cup falling from her hand and landing with a small crash to the floor. She stared at him in horror and his lips parted in a smug look of triumph.

"Another quip dearie." Gold reassured her and she sighed, before remembering the fallen cup. She glanced down and saw that it was landed on the floor, the hot liquid running out along the wooden floor in a delicate flood.

"Oh no!" She cried and bent to retrieve the fallen china, her hands scrambling for it as stupid tears burned the back of her eyes. She kept her chin down but he saw her face and sighed. He grasped her hands, which held a now slightly chipped tea cup, as she stood.

"Dearie, it's just a cup." He said and she laughed. The she stared down at their joined hands and retracted her own carefully. Gold shifted in embarrassment and there was a tense silence. Unable to stand it Belle cleared her throat.

"I was doing so well, I didn't even spill it until you startled me… just ask my Papa and he'll tell you I'm the clumsiest…" Belle broke off as she remembered her sweet Papa's dear face, clouded with grief as she was driven away from him. Her shoulders slumped slightly and she handed Gold the now refilled tea cup, having redone his order. He took it and tasted it carefully. His thin face brightened and a genuine smile of delight stole across his harsh features. The transformation was astonishing, for it made his whole face shift and appear about ten or so years younger. She decided she would endeavour to make him smile more, it suited his handsome face to do so. On that last thought she bit her lip and shook her head. Gold was looking at her with mingled admiration and amusement.

"Join me for a moment of breakfast Belle." He said more than ask and she smiled gratefully. Together they sat before the glowing fire and consumed the small meal Granny had prepared for them. They ate in a comfortable quiet, aware of the other but unable or willing to break the comfortable silence. He caught her hand when she went to take the tea cup and she looked at him curiously.

"Leave it." He ordered and she nodded. Finally they finished and Gold stood from the chair. He limped to the desk and Belle found herself wondering idly how he had sustained it. A question for another time, when they knew each other better. Seeing as she had the unforeseeable future to wait she knew she'd find out eventually. Gold had moved to stand behind the desk and was rummaging about in one of the drawers. Finally he found what it was he was looking for and her hand flashed up instinctively as he flung a set of old–fashioned keys at her. She looked them over and then up at him. He sniggered.

"Keys to the building, you'll find all the keys you need to forfill your duties on there." He said and she nodded, slipping it into a pocket beside her hip. He glanced at the watch on his wrist and started.

"By the by dearie, I must be off but I should be back just before supper. Remember the rules and stay out of trouble." Gold reminded her and she saluted him mockingly. He started and she laughed.

"Have a good day Mr Gold, take a coat… it was rather chilly this morning." She informed him and he nodded. Moving past her he paused by the door as though unsure what to say or do. Finally he nodded towards her and left without another word. She gaped after him and suddenly alone in the dark room Belle felt the need to leave press upon her strongly. Grabbing the tray with its chipped tea cup she quickly vacated the room and moved back down to the spiral staircase. Reappearing in the kitchen she saw only Granny still at work.

"Ruby's gone to sleep dear. You'll see her tonight." Granny said and Belle nodded. She left the tray with Granny, after a series of threats and mumbles from the older woman who told her to clear off before she whacked her over the head with a rolling pin. Still giggling Belle walked off in search for cleaning supplies and was directed towards the cupboard by Granny. Taking a mop, bucket and polishing kit Belle moved out into the atrium where she saw the footmen were gone and the doors, which had previously been see through and unassuming where covered in a barrier of thick wrought iron. Apparently once Gold was out, everyone was either in or they were out. Belle sighed and went back with the bucket to fill it in the kitchen and grab the broom while she passed by. For such a grand space it was surprising how much dust collected around it.

For the next hour and a bit she swept, mopped and polished at least half of the marble floor all the while praying that no one walked through and destroyed all her hard work. Apparently there were things called miracles because for the whole time she was there not a soul ventured through the place and she found herself humming happily once she got into the rhythm of things. After two hours of intense cleaning the beautiful atrium sparkled like the jewel it was and Belle felt her arms begin to ache from the determined pace she'd set herself whilst polishing. Who knew marble took so long to work with? Satisfied with her work she returned to the kitchen and found it too was deserted but thankfully spotless. Granny it seemed was not one to leave others to clean up after her and for that Belle was grateful. Backing out across the atrium she opened the double doors and gasped at the sight that met her gaze. If a bomb had gone off inside the building she would have had less to clean. It was a large, garishly decorated room, filled with an assortment of tables, chairs and platforms. These platforms had floor to ceiling poles attached to their centrs and Belle's brow furrowed at the sight. Shaking her head she stepped further into the disaster zone and contemplated where she should begin. The tables were covered in nightlife grime and a lot of the furniture was tossed willy-nilly about the place. The floor was littered with stains, an array of clothes and other rubbish which she was at loath to touch. The only things that seemed relatively clean were the poles which glimmered in the sunlight that streamed through the ornate windows set at equal distances along the room. Gritting her teeth Belle huffed irritably with the room.

"Fine, you want to play dirty, I can match you." She said and pivoted to march across the atrium, down the hallway and into the kitchen. Grabbing her cleaning supplies and armed with a will that astounded even her she stalked determinedly back to the room, ready to tackle the monster of all messes. She tackled the floor first, collecting all the rubbish and sorting it into recyclable objects and that which she was sure could be thrown out. When all tangible stuff was gone she got to work trying to ease the various stains from the carpets. The god awful smell that wafted from some made her question whether she really wanted this job but she remembered what her father and everyone at home would be gaining and stiffened her upper lip. With gusto she attacked each stain with renewed vigour taking pleasure as one by one they vanished under her baking soda and bleach concoction. The tables were easier to deal with, requiring only a neatening and polish before she was satisfied almost everything was as it should be. The large gaudy curtains were tugged open and the windows that could be prevailed upon to move were opened to allow some air to wash away the stench of vomit, sweat and cigar smoke that still permeated the room. With a final glance over everything Belle was surprised to hear her stomach growl furiously. She straightened and carried the cleaning supplies out and tucked them away into their cupboard before moving to the kitchen and peering at the small clock above the oven. She was startled to find that it was well into the afternoon and that it had been some hours since her small breakfast of toast and tea with Gold. She cut two thin slices of bread and grabbed a slab of meat from the cooler room only to sit on a spare stool and munch away on the sandwich thoughtfully. When she was done she wiped her hands on her now filthy dress and sighed as the size of her workload finally hit her.

"Why four floors? Couldn't the man be happy with three or even two?" She muttered and shook her head as she jumped off the stool, wincing as her slightly, too tight shoes rubbed against her aching feet once again. She knew she'd have blisters for sure. Licking her wounds she moving to the cupboard to grabbed the broom, wash cloth and washing basket before moving to the elevator taking the foul contraption to the next floor and getting to work on the next floor of The Palace.

OoOoOoO

It was almost eight o'clock in the evening when Gold finally found himself walking through the doors of The Palace, satisfied that at his end of his and Belle's agreement had been upheld. Amazing what contacts all over the city and a quick, anonymous phone call could do. Belle could be happy in the knowledge that her beloved neighbourhood was no longer at the mercy of the Ogres. What happened now was no longer his concern accept making sure Belle's payments went to her sweet Papa's address. He saw the doors had been unlocked and limped painfully up the few stairs to walk through them. His leg had really ached that day and he was looking forward to relaxing in his chair by the fire and letting it rest a while. His eyes widened as the atrium of his palace greeted him, shining like some colossal marble star thanks to the freshly polished floor and dusted chandelier. He felt admiration for the girl's determination, that couldn't have been an easy one. He paused by the doors to his club room and opened the doors briefly to peer inside. Now his eyebrows felt stuck to his hairline and he gazed around the enormous room that had only that morning been a shining (or filthy) example of mess with open awe. Even the air smelled fresher and he glanced to see his female bar tender, Ruby stagger from the stairwell leading to the girl's room and freeze. She too looked around the room and then met his gaze.

"Holy shit Gold, you hire a magician or something?" She asked and he smirked.

"I never asked, have you any idea where she is?" He asked and she shrugged, yawning widely and ambling to the bar. She traced a finger along the polished counter top and stared at it calculatingly, She seemed satisfied with what she found.

"Haven't a definite clue but my best guess would be that she's with Granny making dinner." She said and he nodded. Withdrawing from the room he moved to the elevator, marvellous machine, and pressed a button that took his up to the third floor where his office sat. Leaning heavily upon his cane by this point he staggered into the room and made a beeline for the arm chair by the fire, which looked to have been lit in preparation for his arrival. He smiled and sat down, easing his stiffened leg out towards the warmth of its glow. He waited and then waited some more. Finally his impatience got the better of him and he threw himself out of the chair to limp towards the door. Gold strode to the stairwell door, wrenched it open and bellowed down into its depths. A moment later the hurried face of Widow Lucas appeared and Gold quirked an eyebrow. She paused, out of breath, just below him.

"I didn't ask for you dearie." He pointed out and the old woman frowned.

"I know but it will do you no good bellowing like a wounded bull down these stairs for a girl that ain't here." She retorted and he frowned heavily.

"Belle is not with you?" He asked and the old woman shook her head, her grey eyes snapping angrily. Fury rose it ugly head within him and he swore viciously. The grey haired woman below him cowered slightly before his growing anger and he felt his chest constrict at the thought of Belle running off.

"Little chit's probably run off." He snapped irritably and Lucas scowled.

"No, honestly that girl has been working not stop since dawn this morning… chances are she's fallen asleep on the job, check the second floor." She said just as the rattle of the elevator made them turn. A moment later one of his girls, a pretty, round faced one with pitch black hair rushed towards them. He recognised her as Mary Margret, a Brooklyn girl he'd rescued from a dockland war between her stepmother and just about everyone else. She stopped just short of them and her wide blue eyes sparkled.

"Mr Gold, I hear you were looking for a cleaner… she's downstairs." She said and Gold whirled upon her, closing the door on Lucas' face and stepping closer to the woman who met his gaze calmly.

"She's what?" He demanded and she frowned.

"Now don't you be that way, the poor things wiped clean out by the looks of things, fell asleep standing up." Mary Margret said sweetly and Gold rolled his eyes. The anger faded slightly, to be replaced by a small amount of shame at his hasty jump to conclusions.

"Alright lead me to her." He ordered and a moment later the elevator rattled again and they turned to see Belle, face flushed with chargrin and eyes still blared slightly with sleep. She grimaced as she saw him and smiled at Mary Margret.

"I'm so sorry Mr Gold, I'll be right up with your supper in a moment." She said and disappeared past them to fly down the stairs. Gold turned to face the other woman whose fair lips were twisted in a smirk. She bobbed her head in a swift curtsy and spun flippantly on her heel to flounce away to begin her shift downstairs. He watched her disappear and a moment later a sound behind him caused him to twist and see Belle reappearing with a covered tray. She smiled tiredly at him and moved towards his office. She pushed the door open and he limped after her to watch her place it down on the table. It rattled slightly as her exhausted limbs shook but she managed to put it down without spilling a thing. Strangely in that moment the last remnants of his anger drained away completely, she was obviously trying hard to please despite her exhaustion.

"Here you are Mr Gold, it's not a lot but I made it earlier today… just in case I, well, I guess it was a good thing I did." Belle remarked quietly and tucked the falling strands of russet hair behind her ear, her azure eyes blinking back her tiredness. He crossed the room and they ate quickly, a small chicken soup she'd only just warmed up. As she rose to take the tray he stopped her. He didn't know why he did it, perhaps because she looked so young, so childlike, trying to fight the exhaustion she so obviously felt. He took the tray from her and indicated for her to leave.

"What? Oh! No, I'll take it downstairs." She protested and he sighed.

"Dearie, you're about to fall asleep where you stand. Go. To. Bed." He ordered sharply and her shoulders slumped.

"Yes sir." She replied and staggered to the door. Pausing she turned and her pale, beautiful face glowed as she sent him a bright smile. God what a smile it was. It made her already enchanting features simply stunning to behold.

"Good night Mr Gold, I'll see you tomorrow at seven sharp." She promised and he shook his head when the door closed quietly behind her. He put the tray down and moved to sit at his desk. Pulling the files closer he picked up his pen and felt the familiar irritation with paper work rise within him. Trying to push thoughts of pretty, auburn haired woman from his head, Gold bent over the forms and began his long night of actual work.

**Great scot that was a long one, it was so awesome when you guys sent me reviews telling me what you liked and that you wanted me to continue with this story. Hope this 'little' (loosely translated) snipit satisfies you all. Please let me know what you thought, this has been fun XD**


	3. Chapter 3

Three:

**Hurray, update time. Thanks so much everyone for all your wonderfully kind reviews. I really appreciate you all taking the time to write one, it gives my creative juices another kick start so i can please you all sooner. Enjoy this next chapter and i should probably mention now before i forget that although i am the world's biggest fan of Rumbelle and Robert Carlyle i own neither (one day maybe) but not today. So without further ado, i present... chapter three. **

Ka-thud! The loud sound of the something striking the glass of the window made Belle sit up with a sudden scream. Her muscles protested at the rapid movement and she groaned as tissue she hadn't even known she'd possessed twinged painfully. She gazed around, disorientated, and hurriedly reached out in the dark to drawn the curtains open. The dawn was not far away and in the eery half-light of the early morning Belle made out the small body of a crumpled, feathered body upon the small ledge of the window. She gasped and came up onto her knees, gently winching the stiffened lock open and opening the window. She scooped the little, chilled body from the ledge and brought it inside. Carefully she checked the little thing over and found that its wing had snapped, the little appendage hanging limply at a sickening angle that made her heart ache. The little bird stirred and chirped weakly at her from the blanket. It was a red breasted robin whose little chest heaved frantically at the obvious pain in its wing. It tried to move away and squawked in agony.

"Shhh, it's alright." Belle cooed and slowly, as to not frighten it, got out of bed. The frigid floor stung her blistered toes and she gasped. Hobbling to her desk she searched by the light of her lantern until she found a silver needle and thread from a box in the drawer of the desk. She limped back over to the bed and carefully scooped the robin into her palm. It pecked valiantly at her skin and Belle smiled. If it had this much pluck then she knew it would eventually heal and be ready to fly again in no time.

"I'm sorry little guy." She said and grasped the injured appendage, moving it gently into a position that seemed right to her and winding the thread around the needle, effectively pinning the wing. The robin screeched and tried to claw at her fingers, causing small specks of blood to land on the starched blanket beneath them. When Belle was satisfied he'd be alright she placed him on a hollow she fashioned out of the blanket and watched with bemusement as after a few minutes of struggling the bird settled down, tucked itself into a tight ball and closed its beady black eyes. Belle smiled and moved to the chest at the foot of her bed, wincing as she knelt and the tender flesh of her feet stretched. Looking at them she saw they were reddened and blisters had formed on both her heels and either side of her big and little toes. Sighing she tore scraps of linen from the provided towel, hoping Gold didn't mind, and wrapped it around the balls of her feet. Pulling stockings over the top she hoped the blistered would burst and quickly pulled a fresh dress on over her plain cotton shift. To her surprise she found a plain wooden brush she knew for certain had not been in the chest the morning before and gratefully ran it through her auburn hair. Piling the thick reddish-gold curls into a sensible bun she grabbed her shoes and made for the ladder, pausing only once when her stiffened arm muscles screamed their objection. She staggered down the hall, allowing her feet a few moments respite before she knew she had to put the blasted shoes on her feet. She stopped at the junction of her floor and gazed down the forbidden West Wing, wondering what was down there that Gold didn't want her to see. Shaking away her curiosity she moved to the elevator and waited as the gilded death trap made its noisy way up to her floor. This time she had plenty of time to spare, arriving in the kitchen in just a few minutes to see that only Granny was awake. Belle called out a greeting and the older woman turned, offering her a small, relieved smile.

"Well now, it's good to see you Belle, I was half worried we'd be finding out your body was floating down the Hudson." She said and Belle quirked a brow. Moving to the tea shelf she pulled down a silver tray and began to load it with beautifully crafted tea cups and matching tea pot.

"Oh and why was that?" She asked and Granny coughed.

"You gave Mr Gold such a turn girlie, couldn't find you and was rampaging around the third floor like some god-awful beast… don't tell him I said that though." She said quickly and Belle solemnly crossed her heart. Granny turned back to the delicious smelling pot she stood over and Belle limped to cut the bread. Granny sent her a strange look and Belle smiled thinly. The old woman looked down at Belle stockinged feet and gasped.

"Belle, you need to let him know." She said and the auburn haired girl grimaced, shaking her head as she planted the black bottomed kettle over the blazing fire.

"It's nothing, they'll stretch." She said an Granny planted firm, withered hands on her slim hips and turned a baleful glare on Belle. Feeling properly cowed Belle mumbled beneath her breath and turned away.

"Sweetheart, a bastard of a man never could be found anywhere but I know he would rather have you comfortable and able to work then stuck up in that attic unable to walk. You're an investment and he takes good care of his investments." Granny glowered and pointed the dripping wooden spoon before her like a spear. Belle giggled and moved to take the now boiling kettle off the fire, pouring the heated water into the delicate china and surmounting the tray with its assortment of bits and pieces. She didn't like to think of herself as an investment but if what Granny said was true then perhaps it would be worth bringing it up with Gold after all, she couldn't very well work it she couldn't walk. She hefted the tray and smiled at Granny, slipping her feet into the too-tight shoes.

"Take care Granny, say hello to Ruby for me when you see her." She called and the elderly woman grumbled an affirmative. Easing painfully up the tight, winding stairs Belle hurried to push the door open and stumbled slightly as she approached Gold's office door. She could hear his voice, talking to someone and didn't know if it was worth her job intruding. In the end she reached out and knocked cautiously on the door, praying he was in a better mood today than what Granny had described. She didn't remember him being all that angry with her the night before, then again she hardly remembered getting to bed or even half the evening before it. There was a pregnant pause and the door cracked a jar, revealing Gold whose face was impassive as he gazed at her. She smiled brightly and hoisted the tray in her hands.

"Seven o'clock, as promised." She said promptly and he nodded, opening the door wide enough to for her to slip through and stepping aside to let her enter. Trying her best to ignore the blazing agony in her feet she eyed him warily and went to set the tray down upon the table by the fire, twisting her hand nervously as he limped over to her. She silently bent to pour the tea but he stopped her.

"Use this one." He said and handed her the chipped cup from the morning before. She stared at it blankly for a few moments before tilting her chin up to peer at him quizzically. A man of quirks apparently. She nodded and took it from him, scooping only one sugar into the cup and the pouring the sweet-smelling tea over the top. She let it steel for a moment then added a dash of milk, stirring it whimsically before handing it to her awaiting employer. Gold took the cup without a word, of thanks or otherwise, and sipped it cautiously. She was taking a gamble and it paid off. For a moment the impassive looked leeched off his face and he sighed, taking another sip before cocking his head towards the only other chair in the room. He sat down and she moved to follow suit, drawing the long skirt of her dress around her to give her hands something to do. Gold stared at her over the rim of the chipped cup and she realised that although his eyes were dark at times, right now they were a deep mahogany brown. She rather liked them and smiled at him.

"Have a nice sleep dearie?" He asked finally and she winced.

"It was very nice, thank you." She replied stiffly and cast her gaze elsewhere, finding it drawn to the out-of-place spinning wheel in the corner. Belle cocked her head thoughtfully and wondered about what an obviously powerful man like Mr Gold was doing with a spinning wheel that looked as though it belonged in the last century.

"Is it yours?" She asked and almost kicked herself, obviously it was. Gold was now looking at her, his gaze carefully guarded but his posture had seemingly relaxed a small bit.

"Twas my mother's, dearie. A sentimental piece of junk really, but sometimes there are things you simply can't bring yourself to get rid of." He muttered and took a sip of the tea. Belle smiled and reached out to make her own cup.

"This shawl was my mother's." She said and touched the flimsy, woollen fabric tenderly draped about her navy shoulders. Gold quirked a brow and she smiled at him, bringing the now completed tea cup to her lips and sipping the drink, unhappy when it was not quite right. She put it down.

"It's the only thing of hers, besides a few of my dresses, that I have of hers now… we had to sell everything after she died but I couldn't bear to part with it, she'd been ever so sick and she wanted me to have it." She broke off and sighed.

"She was of the mind that every girl should have a shawl. She told me once that there were 999 ways to use one." She said and shook her head bemusedly, picturing faintly her mother's face before the pneumonia had wasted it away. Clearing her throat she suddenly remembered where she was and looked up at her employer whose face was still unreadable.

"Don't mind me, I tend to ramble." She said self depreciatingly. To her surprise Gold chuckled and took her abandoned tea cup from its spot on the silver tray. He poured an extra dab of tea into it and another spoonful of sugar, allowing it to steel for a moment before handing it back to her.

"There dearie, try it now." He ordered and Belle brought the china obediently to her lips. The moment it touched them it was as if she had died and gone to heaven, what moments before had seemed almost too bitter was now liquid ambrosia on her tongue. She smiled brightly at Gold whose lips twitched upward momentarily. He nodded his head to the wooden wheel behind them.

"You can take the spinner out of Glasklow but you can never take the spinner out a man." Gold said quietly and she quirked an interested eyebrow.

"You can spin?" She spluttered and blushed profusely when he glared at her. She frowned and shook her head.

"Nothing wrong with decent labour Mr Gold, I was just curious as to how a Scottish spinner managed to own one of the nicest buildings in Upper East New York." She explained and the glare faded slightly. She took another delightful sip of her tea and closed her eyes to savour it.

"God grief, that sends the chills packing." She joked and stood. She collected the tea things and he frowned up at her.

"Where are you going?" He asked and she smiled thinly.

"I have almost a whole floor's worth of bedrooms to launder and clean, not to mention the atrium will need another mopping. Are you staying in today?" She asked and he shrugged.

"I might stay until lunch but it depends." He muttered and she stared at him curiously, hands clutching the silver tray carefully.

"Upon what?" She asked innocently but his firm glare told her he was never going to say. Miffed at his abruptness Belle took a defiant bite of a leftover piece of toast and turned on her heel to stride across the room.

"If you are going out, be mindful that I will knock you upside the head with that cane of yours if you trail mud through my newly mopped atrium." She reminded him warningly, smiling into her collar at his amused chuckle.

"Have a good day Mr Gold." She said and breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind her. She slipped the shoes off her feet and carried them along with the tray back down into the kitchen just as Ruby and Granny were leaving it. Ruby had on, over her plain black outfit, a siren red coat that took Belle's breath away. Ruby twinkled her fingers in a girly wave and stepped forward to kiss her on the cheek.

"Good to see your alive and kicking, how goes it in the Beast's lair?" She asked and Belle pursed her lips.

"He's not as beastly as you guys seem to make him out to be." She protested and Ruby smirked.

"You asked him about new shoes?" She retorted and Belle's pale cheeks flared a deep rosy hue. Ruby clucked and nodded her head smugly.

"Exactly. Just ask him when you next get the chance, wouldn't want blood trails all over your lovely floors." She taunted playfully and Belle pulled a face. Granny had her own coat on and the pair stood by the door, ready to leave.

"Where are you off to?" Belle asked and Granny smiled.

"Market day today, I assume I can leave the place in your hands and come back to find it not burnt to cinders?" She asked and Belle frowned.

"Maybe, don't count upon it." She murmured and Ruby laughed. Twirling on her black heeled shoes she flounced away, calling farewells over her shoulder and both heard her loud attempts at flirtation drift down the corridor. Granny shook her head in exasperation.

"If she's not careful she'll have a marriage proposal and then some." The old cook muttered and Belle sniggered into the now soapy tea set.

"Now dear I must be off, try not to damage yourself too much and take a break every now and again." Granny said and Belle waved her off. Sighing the old woman picked up the canvas bags and wicker basket lying on the floor around her then disappeared down the corridor. The atrium fell silent and she smiled as she carefully wiped up the china and set it in its proper place. Ticking off her check list she walked to the cupboard and picked up the mop and bucket, filling the latter and taking the cleaning supplies to the atrium. Since she had scrubbed the living daylights out of the place only the day before there was nowhere near as much dust and grime but there was however a steady trail of scud that lead straight to the club room. She sighed and slipped off her shoes, sighing as the cool marble slabs soothed her abused feet. Humming to herself she carefully mopped the floor till it shone brightly once more and dusted all the beautifully ornate wall lamps which were also of the frosted glass variety she seen in Gold's office. Satisfied the room was once again spotless Belle returned to the cupboard to grab wash cloths and fresh water, fully intending to start on the tables and bar in the ground floor room. As she appeared in the atrium and flurry of steady knocks met her ears and she spun to see a woman standing outside the doors of The Palace. She smiled when Belle met her gaze, but there was something off about this woman that set Belle's nerves on fire. She was striking; quite tall, with crisp clear skin and blood red lips that set a balance against the black hair piled on the top of her head beneath a fashionable fur barette. She was dressed to the absolute nines and her glimmering white teeth spoke of a life without hardship, or at least a combination of egg shell and baking soda that Belle had used twice a day since her mother had told her about it when she was five years old. Shaking away her thoughts and stepped towards the door, wash cloth still clutched in her hand. The woman's smile broadened.

"Hello there," She said and her voice was full of warmth.

"I was wondering if Mr Gold was in." The stunning woman continued and Belle tackled with her answer. On one hand it wasn't her business to stop people from seeing Gold but on the other an instinctive feeling of wariness stole over her, making her reluctant to speak to this woman for any longer than was necessary. In the end she decided to be honest.

"Yes." She answered finally and the woman's eyes flickered, with what Belle wasn't quite sure. Her black gaze peered down and she smirked at the sight of Belle's bare feet.

"Well… if you don't mind, I'd like to come in." She said pointedly and Belle frowned, as though she were slightly dim.

"Come in?" She repeated and the woman's simper fell away as she scowled.

"Yes you stupid ninny, I'd like to come in… think you can do that?" She snapped, causing Belle's inner eyebrow to rise. She controlled her outer ones and keep her face impassive.

"I don't know if I should, Mr Gold might not like it." Belle said, as though she were worried about what the man thought. At this the woman's eyes softened the smallest bit, but only enough for Belle to distrust her even more.

"Oh forgive me darling, I wouldn't want to get you in any trouble on my account. What's your name?" She demanded and Belle felt her name spill past her lips as though she had no will of her own to stop it.

"Belle de Boire ma'am." She answered and the woman smiled prettily. "Well Belle, at least you can do something for me… would you mind taking this to him." She said and slid a large envelope under the door which Belle bent to scoop up. She gazed it over in a manner that made her seem uneducated or at least rather slow.

"Should I tell him who it's from?" She looked up and the woman was already half turned away.

"Oh no, he'll know. And if you see a woman called Mary Margret in there, tell her that the moment she steps out of this building her skinny ass is mine." The woman said with a small sniff and Belle watched as she spun away, descended the stone stairs and strode away. Clutching the large envelope she turned it over in her hands and pursed her lips. It was rather heavy and contained several papers but apart from that her amazing skills of deduction revealed nothing untoward about the package. Shrugging she took it with her to the club room and put it on the bar as she slowly moved about the room, righting furniture and wiping down the tables for that night's entertainment. Her arms ached abominally but she ignored them, knowing it was her own stupid fault for being eager to over work the day before. When she was satisfied that the room was in fair shape she moved out to hoist the washing basket onto her hip and still in procession of her wash cloth walked to the elevator and hopped inside, rolling her eyes as it ascended to the next floor. To her relief, just like the day before it appeared most of the clients had returned to their homes. The gaudily decorated halls were mostly empty of noise except for faint voices which Belle hoped were just the girls talking with one another. Deciding to be bold she walked to the first door and knocked. No answer. Deeply relieved she took the ring of keys from her pocket and unlocked it. Her nose wrinkled with distaste as the room bared itself for her inspection, the overpowering smell of cheap perfume, cigars and sweat filled her nostrils. The lamps were on at a low level and even in that gloom she could see the stains on the bed. Her stomach flipped and she fought the instinctive gag that rose in her throat of the blantent display of sex left for her to deal with. Hurriedly, fighting her disgust, she stripped the bed and threw the sheets into the basket. There was a cupboard in the corner and she opened it, stumbling back when a vast array of strange instruments met her gaze.

"What on earth…" She muttered as she stared at them, happy to at least see a new set of linen on the shelf. She quickly took it down and made the bed, flinging the cover over it and arranging the pillows in a way she hoped was enough for such an establishment. Taking the washing basket she limped out of the room and moved to the next door along. Unlocking it she smiled when an undisturbed room met her gaze. She moved to the cupboard and changed the sheets, just in case, before exiting quickly and hurrying along the corridor. She got her first surprise when she unlocked a door without knocking and walked in on a half-naked woman. The girl spun to face her and Belle looked away when her bare breasts appeared. She was dressed in just a pair of thin nylon stockings, attached to a girdle around her slim waist by suspenders and perched languidly on a pairs of dangerously high heels that made Belle's feet ache just by looking at them.

"I'm so sorry, I should have knocked." She said and the woman smiled politely. She was very beautiful, with a round pale face, delicate features and tumbling black curls that fell almost to her waist.

"Hey don't fret Belle, I was just getting ready… ain't nothing you haven't seen before right?" The girl quipped and Belle smiled uneasily.

"I suppose." She said and moved to the bed, bending to rip the sheets from it, all the while ignoring the obvious stains on its stark white surface. She bundled them and chucked them onto the growing pile in her basket.

"How do you know my name?" She asked and the girl chuckled. Belle turned to see she had put on a small corset and was having difficulties in tying the stays. Belle smiled and moved to stand behind her, drawing the strings firmly. Tying them off when the girl indicated she waved off her thanks.

"Everyone knows about you, phantom cleaner that you are." She said and Belle giggled.

"Phantom?" She asked and the woman stood, moving to draw on a silken oriental robe that tied just below her bust.

"One minute that bloody room was a pig-stye the next it looked like god himself has spit shined it… I'm Mary Margret by the way." She said and held out a slim hand towards Belle who grasped it firmly before starting.

"A woman came by just now, she wanted me to pass on a message." She said and to her surprise Mary Margret sniggered.

"Let me guess, something along the lines of her kicking my ugly ass from here to Timbucktu before slitting my throat and throwing my body down the Hudson?" She asked and Belle stifled her smile.

"It was skinny ass actually and death was not so mentioned as implied." She said and both women began to laugh rather hard. Mary Margret walked over and opened the door, peering out into the corridor.

"The girl's room is down the hall, I was just heading there for a cherry with Ashley, perhaps you can join us later." She said and Belle shook her head.

"Maybe but I still have this whole floor to get through, it was very nice to meet you though." She said and Mary Margret winked.

"Keep the Beast happy will you, it's been rather pleasant around here since you came." She said and Belle frowned.

"Everyone keeps saying that but I think you're all being rather unfair… he's been nothing but kind to me." She replied and Mary Margret shrugged her slim shoulders.

"You'll want to put ice on those feet, trust me when they pop you'll be rueing the day man created shoes." She said and Belle thanked her. Waving airily the beautiful woman walked out of the room and down the hallway, disappearing through a doorway at the very end of the corridor. Belle sighed and picked up the basket, placing it on her hip and toting it to the next room.

OoOoOoO

Several hours later Belle was convinced that not only had her mind seen horrors that in all her short life she'd never thought were possible but her brain would never be able to forget, even if she live another 60 odd years. Pale and feeling rather ill, she carried the enormous pile of sheets to the elevator and took them to the top floor. Here she dumped them and returned to the bottom floor to fetch a basin large enough to wash them. Bleach, soap and a washboard were soon located and she carried them along with the steel tub to the elevator. Her passed the second floor to see Mary Margret in deep conversation with a pretty blonde girl whose appeared to be in tears. Unable to stop Belle shot the pair a sympathetic look before she was carried away to her own floor where the washing lay awaiting her. She attacked them with vigour, pausing only to rub her stiffening arms when they tired completely. She took a few breaks, hanging the sheets from makeshift lines across the atrium. So focused on her task she didn't even here the bloody elevator moving until it's door creaked open behind her and a short cough broke her away from her activity. She spun to see Gold standing in the doorway, his dark brown eyes staring beyond her with great amusement.

"Well now dearie, you've been busy." He said and limped out of the foul machine to cock his head and stare at her, his thin face unreadable in the dimness of the room.

"Yes, nearly finished this set and then I'm going to fix lunch." She said an he smirked.

"Too late for that dearie, really you have an awful sense of timing." He teased as she gaped at him in horror.

"I beg your pardon." She said and Gold pulled back the sleeve of his pristine suit to cluck at the watch that adorn his wrist.

"Your pardoned, for now. Dearie, it's almost three and Widow Lucas informs me that you haven't been down all afternoon." He said and Belle sighed. She turned away and scrubbed hard at the last stain on her remaining sheet, growling when it stubbornly refused to budge.

"Disgusting." She muttered and Gold's knowing snicker made her cheeks flame. She looked over to see him staring at the stain with distant amusement.

"After the fact dearie, I'm sure it is but at the time people generally forget about what is crass and what is proper, don't you agree?" He asked brazenly and she drew herself up with dignity. She scrubbed viciously at the stain until it vanished, dunking it under the water before wringing it out thoroughly and flinging it over the only remaining space on the line. Dusting off her hands she stood hurriedly, forgetting her blistered feet, and gasping loudly when they made heavy contact with the hardwood floor. She stumbled and caught herself against the wall. She looked up to see Gold staring at her in shock and hastily tried to palm it off as an accident.

"I told you I was clumsy, trip over my own feet all the time. Why yesterday I very nearly…"

"Show me." He said in a tone that made her voice die in the base of her throat.

"Show you what?" She asked nonchalantly and his cane hit the floor with a deafening thud that made her jump, wincing when her tender soles bore the brunt of it.

"Dearie I only ask things once; now stop playing around and show me." He said and with a great sigh Belle extended her foot slightly from beneath her overlong hem. Embarrassed she cast her eyes away and was surprised when she heard a strange sound echo from Gold's throat. She glanced at him to see his hands had tightened slightly on the hilt of his cane. She swallowed and smiled thinly.

"I didn't want to cause trouble, you've been very good to me already." She protested and met his gaze frankly. He seemed to be at loss for words and finally he crooked a finger for her to follow him. Unsure of his mood, she did as she was bid and stepped into the elevator, frowning at as the doors were drawn across and it descended once more.

"Isn't it marvellous?" Gold aid and Belle glanced at him in surprise.

"What is?" She queried and he rolled his eyes.

"This. My elevator. It sure beats taking stairs." He said confidently and Belle wrinkled her nose disdainfully.

"No. It's noisy, makes people lazy and its awful." She retorted, earning a sharp glance from Gold who stroked the side of the gilded cage as though it could hear her and be offended. She snorted and folded her arms over her chest.

"Sure there are benefits to having one, made trundling that tub upstairs far easier than it would have been, but I just hate it… it's unnatural and what if it gets stuck or the rope snaps, I heard that one broke in one of the downtown skyscrapers and everyone died… the thing crashed down 30 stories and oh…" She shuddered and ignored his entertained expression.

"Dearie, you'll grow to love it, you'll have to." He said firmly and she sent him a doubtful look. The doors were pulled apart and they stepped out onto the third floor, striding along the corridor towards his office where he held the door open for her and closed it smartly behind them.

"Sit." He ordered and pushed her down into one of the arm chairs. She sat stunned as he moved around to his desk and rummaged once more in the drawer of hidden wonders, pulling out a kit of medical supplies. Her brow quirked as he limped over.

"Preparation is important dearie, better to have than to not." He pointed out and she nodded thoughtfully. An awkward moment passed when she realised she'd need to removed her stockings for any healing to take place and for what felt like the millionth time that day, her cheeks suffused a vibrant shade of cerise. Gold seemed to have realised this too and she thought she saw the merest hint of a red on his cheeks as he pivoted to face the other wall. Quickly she stripped her stockings off her legs and beheld her awful toes, which looked red, bruised and torn. She cleared her throat and Gold spun back to face her, his eyes flickering to her feet and widening at the sight. He swore beneath his breath and crouched before her, taking one of her ankles in his calloused hand. The skin was tanned and rough, strangely soothing on the dainty skin of her ankle and calf. She stifled a moan as he handled her lower leg carefully, as though working glass.

"This will hurt but you deserve it for being such a stupid woman." He said fiercely and she scowled at his bent head. Slumping back into the comfortable chair she watched as he wet a cloth with some form of alcohol and dabbed it on the open sores on her feet. She gasped and her leg jerked. His grip tightened, enough to hold her but not to harm her, and he held the cloth to her flesh as she bit back a whimper of pain. He repeated this action for both her feet before tenderly wrapping both, the result being much nicer than her makeshift linen bandage from that morning. He looked up when he was done and she swallowed tightly as their eyes met. The room was warm and silent, except for their breathing which seemed incredibly loud and personal. She realised that she had been stupid in thinking that he wouldn't care, that he'd laugh at her. When had she become so bitter about people that she judged them for what others had said about them? Sure she'd defended him publically but when it had come down to actually trusting him, she'd been a coward and that was the simple, honest and somewhat painful truth. She realised next that they had been staring into each other's eyes for about a minute and hurriedly looked away, disentangling her leg from his slackened grip. He jerked and stood abruptly. The silence that had only moments been warm and comfortable became suddenly frigidly awkward.

"Thank you." She said and he paused. He grinned at her, winking as he stooped to pick up the brandy bottle on the floor by her chair.

"Not a problem dearie, you just owe me another drink." Gold teased and she chuckled. Seconds ticked by.

"Was there anything else you needed?" She asked and he jumped, suddenly remembering whatever it was that he'd come to talk to her about before her embarrassing incident distracted them.

"Ah yes, did you let anyone into this building while I was up here?" He asked and she frowned. She stretched back her memory and the image of a barrette-toting woman with an envelope coming to the forefront of her mind.

"I didn't but a woman did come around, she dropped something off for you." She said and he frowned.

"A woman?" He asked sharply and she nodded.

"Tall, dark hair and far too much lipstick." She remembered and took a step back when Gold's cane thudded against the floor again.

"WHAT?" He bellowed and she stared up at him in shock.

"She came by this morning, wanted to see you but I didn't know if I should let her in so I just took the envelope…"

"You spoke with her?" Gold demanded and Belle drew herself up to her full height. Facing him squarely she sneered slightly up at him.

"No Mr Gold I used bloody sign language, of course I spoke to her… I was cleaning the atrium and she showed up looking for you. What was I supposed to do bolt like she was the devil himself?" Gold muttered something that sounded rather like 'fair description' before taking her roughly by the shoulders and shaking her. Her head snapped forward painfully and she lashed out, forcing him to release her. Her hand came up to cover her mouth in horror when she saw him rub at his jaw lightly.

"Oh god I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She cried and stepped forward but he stopped her with a firm wave of his hand.

"Where's this envelope?" He asked in a cold voice that made her want to curl up and cry in a corner somewhere. She patted her pockets before remembering that she'd left it on the bar downstairs.

"Downstairs, on the bar. I forgot about it when I was cleaning…" She began but he snarled.

"Next time Belle you call for me. You don't answer the door or take things that do not concern you. It's too dangerous." He said furiously, his brogue the deepest and thickest she'd ever heard, and a small frown flickered across her face before she could stop it.

"What's so dangerous about her?" She asked stubbornly, even though he shook his head firmly.

"Who is she?" She demanded, grasping his arm tightly. He stared down at her mutely then gently prized her fingers from his arm. She tried not to feel offended.

"The most dangerous woman you will probably ever meet but not your concern right now Belle. Take me to the envelope and know that you are dismissed from duties until tomorrow." He said and she opened her mouth to protest.

"DO NOT ARGUE WITH ME BELLE!" he roared and she immediately closed her mouth. Eyes wide open and lips clamped shut she turned and strode angrily to the door, flinging it open and marching to the elevator. Gold limped behind her, his handsome faced tightened with anger. Hang on a second, he was furious with her and yet she still thought him handsome. Now she was convinced there was something incredibly wrong with her. Maybe everyone back home had been right about her, maybe she was too strange. The elevator ride was hell, they stood shoulder to shoulder, neither willing to make a move. She flung herself from the machine as soon as she could and marched to the decedent doors to her left. Wrenching them open she strode to the bar, picked up the envelope still resting on its polished surface and handed it irritably to her employer.

"Good afternoon Mr Gold. If you need me, I shall be in my room." With that she walked away, head held high as she entered the elevator and pressed the topmost button. The contraption creaked and groaned until it finally came to rest at her floor. She navigated the numerous sheets and limped towards her step ladder, which brought tears to her eyes when they attacked her abused feet. A soft cheeping met her ears and she smiled, despite her mood when her eyes alighted on the robin, which still sat on her bed, head cocked curiously towards her as she entered the room.

"I hope you're female because I honestly don't think I can stand to be around men right now." She told it gently and sat down with a groan on the edge of her bed. She lay down and rested her head upon the pillow, her face turned towards the robin as she stroked its downy head tenderly. He nipped her fingers only a few times before settling back down to sleep, the pain of its wing making it more exhausted then it generally would have. Belle felt a single tear stroll down her cheek and then another. She couldn't even lift a hand to stop them, her arms were simply too tired and sore. How could everything go so wrong so quickly? He'd been so angry over nothing? Then she sat up. Nothing? Had it truly been over nothing? She thought back on what she knew about her moody employer and the one thing that stood out was that he rarely, if ever over-reacted because of nothing. There had to have been a reason for his outburst. She tried to put her finger on it. The robin nipped sharply at her finger and she gasped in pain.

"Ouch, that hurt!" She informed it and it seemed to shrug smugly. Her eyes widened with sudden realisation.

"Hurt. He was worried I'd been hurt." She murmured and the robin chirped quietly, as though agreeing with her conclusion. She thought back on their conversation and realised what was bothering her. He always called her dearie and yet, in that last conversation alone he called her by her name, screamed it even. Confused but happily so she snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes, her tired muscles relaxing as sleep came and dragged her away.

**AW first fight, kind of. Hope you liked, and please let me know what you disliked (hopefully I don't get any of those) Love to all and don't expect a chapter for a few days, I'm out hiking with friends and won't have time or the equipment until Friday. **


	4. Chapter 4

Four:

**Holy mother of god! Thank god I finished that bloody hike, four days and I swear my feet were ready to fall off at the sight of pavement or bush trails… anyway, thanks for the reviews you guys it was the greatest thing to get back and see my inbox so full of new mail, thanks a bunch and bless your cotton socks (or woollen if that's how you are). **

The next few days passed in a blur of silence and cleaning. If the building had seemed empty before, now it was as if death itself stalked the halls for all the people she saw. The morning after their argument she received notice via a note pinned to her door that Mr Gold was away for business and her duties would simply be those of her recent domestication quality. To her surprise, and delight, there had also been a new pair of shoes on the landing which she found fitted as perfectly to her feet as if moulded specifically for them. Heading downstairs the Palace had seemed devoid of life, with only Granny appearing in the morning to complete the daily meals before she too disappeared for the day. Conversation had been brief and Belle finally found out that she was now under specific instruction to remain inside the building until further notice which, according to Granny, was whenever Gold came down off his high horse and came to find her.

"Don't you take any notice Belle, he's a temperamental sot and right now he, like every other man in existence, will be trying to avoid the blame for the argument… time is a great thing for such situations and he'll come around eventually." Granny had said as Belle swept the smooth stone floor of the kitchen. Belle had nodded and sighed, waving good bye to the older woman who had become the closest thing to a grandmother Belle was sure she'd ever had.

Ruby and Mary Margret were nowhere to be found, even in the girls' common room on the second floor that Belle meticulously cleaned. She had met one other girl, Ashley, during her travels just as the girl was heading for out for her own break. Three days passed by rather quickly, even though she saw next to no one. She was aware that New Year's Eve was fast approaching and was saddened to realise that this year's celebrations would be done without the company of either her parents. To take her mind off the gloomy depression her thoughts had sunken into, Belle often stayed up later to watch the patrons enter and exit the building. Most were dressed importantly and she could even name a few from the papers she'd found scattered around the place. Considering the rather dire state of the country's economy this was probably not unusual. Only the rich, it seemed, could afford to have sex. Belle found herself wondering if they found the whole experience as cheap as she thought it seemed. Surely these men had wives, had someone at home to see without the incentive of cold hard cash. In the girls' common room Belle discovered a discreet stairwell that led down into the club. Peering around the hidden door she was able to observe that goings on of the club after dark. It was truly a dazzling world of glitter, lights and liquor. Ruby worked like a mad woman in red to serve exotic looking concoctions whilst Mary Margret and Ashley appeared to have a more hands on job with their clients. Belle remembered she was in no position to judge either of these women and not for the first time wondered why Gold insisted she clean rather than serve as these other girls did. It wasn't as if she were any more beautiful than Mary Margret or Ashley but she was sure he'd get better 'investment' from her by this work than that which she was currently doing. That particular man was nowhere to be seen, inside or outside the Palace. For three days Belle tried to search for him, to try and patch up their differences but no familiar figure emerged from the snow covered crowds and no one bothered her high in her tower since the time she'd awoken to find her note and shoes. Belle was by no means an excessively outgoing person, she'd never been one for overzealous society functions or the like but she did miss seeing people and interacting with them. The mornings she had spent with Gold and Ruby had brightened her days sufficiently to steer off the boredom suffocating her and now with those gone; she began to feel the first chilled fingers of loneliness grasping at her heart. Often on those cold nights she sat and shared her meals with the robin, who she'd affectionately named Calico. Calico's wing was recuperating nicely and his eyes soon lost their pain glazed look long enough for him to stomach a few morsels of her food whenever she placed them on the comforter of her little bed. He would never eat from her palm, hard as she tried, but Belle was hoping that in time that would change as they got to know each other better. Trapped inside the building Belle felt her mind begin to stale. She needed something to do other than cleaning. Without the liberty to go outside, which she was able to tolerate, her mind needed stimulation and a book, even a single one, would have sufficed. Anything but this crushing sense of boredom.

Feeling perturbed but unsure of how to do anything about her ennui Belle threw herself into her chores. The sheets she had washed were taken down and ironed neatly, placed in their respective cupboards for next time. The atrium was mopped and the club cleared up and polished each morning. No matter how many times she scrubbed the marble tiles Belle still marvelled at the beauty of the room. She had run out of chores by the second day and sitting in the kitchen her eye had been drawn to the stairwell that lead to Gold's office. It was then that Belle remembered the third floor. Having been occupied with the first two floors she'd forgotten that although Gold's office was on that floor, many of its doors were still closed to her prying eyes, which meant that she had a whole different mess to clean… probably involving dust. Grimacing as she stepped into the elevator she arrived at the third floor with a glimmer of excitement in her breast. This floor was decorated in a style that was definitely not as austere as hers but nor was it gaudy or extravagant like those on the lower levels. It was a rather nice mix of sensible and tasteful, a direct reflection on the man who worked on it. The hardwood floors required polishing, the curtains a good beating or two and the lights were in need of careful dusting which Belle was all too happy to provide. She soon discovered that there was another function for the Palace, and that it was far more interesting for her to inspect than the rabble that went on below. Upon completing the outward appearance of the hallway she unlocked the first door along the corridor to find its inside piled high with covered lumps of what appeared to be furniture. As she stepped into the room Belle's feet flicked up tiny clouds of dust, leaving a small trail of footprints behind her as she moved through to ghostly room curiously. Plain white sheets had been pulled over every imaginable kind of furniture. Ornate tables of all sizes, chairs every colour and shape, beds, settes carved intricately from beautiful timber, drawers lacquered to perfection and even empty, floor-to-ceiling shelves surrounded her as she pulled off one cover after another in a haze of excitement. Granny had been able to provide an explanation.

"He's a businessman Belle, he buys and sells what people need him too. Right now the market isn't so great for furniture or knick-knacks but come better times and he'll be right back to his pawning." She said and Belle frowned.

"Why the club then?" She asked and Granny had turned to her with a frown.

"The what?"

"You know… the club, the um… brothel?" Belle stammered, causing the old woman to shriek with laughter.

"Oh lord, I shouldn't laugh but that's precious. As I said girl, Mr Gold's a businessman, he's a snake in a suit and what's selling right now is sex. Even when money's tight men will pay for it. Sex has been around longer than you and I and I can guarantee that it will be here long after we're gone. Only profit anyone can make in this depression comes from men and their appetites." She remarked dryly and Belle felt her cheeks glow like Christmas lights. At the memory Belle's cheeks heated again and she glowered at her sensitive skin. She threw the sheets into a pile and hurried downstairs to grab the cleaning supplies. She soon discovered that dust was an ultimate enemy to her state of mind. Once she was certain she'd cleaned off all the dust on a piece of furniture she'd shift it to another position to find more trickling out of nooks and crevices she hadn't seen. It was repetitive work but the whole mystery of who these things belonged to allowed Belle's vivid imagination to run wild as she laboured. She was now sure that each room on this floor would take a few days to complete, there was simply so much to get through and she was in no hurry now to rush. On the dawn of the fourth day, which just so happened to be the morning of New Year's Eve, she rolled out of bed to find Calico perched proudly on the iron tubing of her head board, his chest plumped and his eyes twinkling merrily at her.

"Well good morning to you too Calico." Belle grumbled and the robin chirped loudly. Belle yawned and rolled out of bed, her toes colliding with the frosty boards of her room and shrinking with cold. She stifled her groan and hurried to pull on her clothes, twirling her hair into a neat braid as she flew down the ladder without hands. She was travelling along the corridor to the kitchen when she heard twin voices ahead. A smile broke over her lips and she raced to enter the kitchen as a familiar dark haired woman spun.

"Belle!"

"Ruby!" The two women hugged each other and Belle went immediately to collect her cleaning supplies but Granny coughed.

"I don't think he'll appreciate being second to chores Belle." She said and Belle pivoted to fix her with a strange glance.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked warily and Granny chuckled.

"Gold's upstairs, you'd best get that tea ready." She scolded fondly and Belle flew to the tea cupboard. The kettle was set over the fire and the tea set placed on its silver tray. Toast, jam and butter were soon located and prepped and she waited till the kettle whistled cheerfully. Sighing as she poured it into a beautifully crafted china teapot Belle rolled her eyes at Ruby who giggled and cross herself mock-seriously.

"Bless you child." She said and they both grinned at each other as Belle hefted the tray and carried it cautiously to the steps. She could hear the two Lucas women talking behind her as she nudged the door open and made her way towards Gold's office, pausing once to straightened her shoulders and knock. If he wanted to play childishly, she would show him how to play properly.

"Intrude." Came a familiarly accented voice and Belle nearly lost her resolve to be angry but three days of boredom resurfaced and she fortified herself. Keeping her face perfectly blank she entered and, without looking once to the figure behind the impressive mahogany desk, walked over to the low slung table by the fireplace to set her tea tray down. She heard him approach and didn't even tilt her head to look at him as he handed her the chipped tea cup. She planted a single spoonful of sugar into its base, covered it with tea and let it still for a few moments before dashing it with milk. Without a word she handed it back to him and it was then that she finally looked up at Gold. She flinched slightly at the ghastly sight that met her gaze. His handsome face was pale and dark shadows surrounded his eyes, making them appear sunken and darker then she'd ever seen them. Lines she hadn't really noticed had deepened around his eyes and the mouth she loved to watch twist roguishly was slack with fatigue. Her resolve flew out the window and she smiled at him kindly, her stare becoming calculating as he brought the fractured tea cup to his lips like a man starved of substance and sipped it delicately. A lick of colour seemed to return to his thin cheeks and he settled himself stiffly into the chair, indicating for her to do so as well. Reluctantly she sat and surveyed Gold as he poured her own cup of tea, filling it with three sugars, tea and more than a dash of milk. When he handed it to her Belle could see the fingers that clutched the china were tightened and the knuckles almost as white as the pottery. Again she smiled, accepting the tea cup with a mumbled thank you. Taking a sip Belle sighed as the liquid ambrosia slid down her throat, warming her from the top of her head to the very ends of her toes. She rested the cup on its saucer and glanced up at her silent employer. It was obvious now that she would have to be the brave one here, Gold was evidently a man of few words and even fewer when troubled.

"Mr Gold?" She asked and he seemed to wince slightly. Her lips parted again in a bright smile and she raised her cup in a salute.

"Why is it that you make a living as a businessman when it's obvious your talent lies in tea making?" She continued and sipped her delightful drink again. There, she'd extended the proverbial olive branch. Gold's eyes momentarily flashed with shock then a familiar smirk appeared on his lips and he let out a breathy chuckle.

"Not much money in tea at the moment dearie, not much at all." He said whimsically and Belle snorted.

"But plenty in sex right?" She pressed and he seemed to choke on his tea. She laughed as he retained his breath and met her sparkling blue eyes with confused deep brown ones. He waggled a finger at her mockingly.

"Now, now dearie language like that is not at all appropriate for a girl of your age." Gold retorted smugly and Belle sniggered.

"I'm eighteen years old, I'm old enough to be married by now and many of the girls I know are." She returned spiritedly. She may have been mistaken but it seemed as if his eyes darkened momentarily, with what she couldn't guess, and her employer took a rather large sip of his tea before speaking again.

"Indeed, I had quite forgotten." He said almost to himself and Belle smirked. She set the now finished cup on the table and relaxed into her chair.

"Where have you been sulking all this time? The place has been fair boring without your invigorating presence." She teased and his thin lips curved into a crooked grin that made the shadows around it lighten and fade away.

"Business dearie, there is always business to be done." Gold said and returned his own cup to the tray. She nodded and twiddled her thumbs in her lap, suddenly unsure how to lead to conversation. The moment stretched and the air thickened unbearably until Gold cleared his throat.

"Were you… comfortable?" He asked and Belle nodded quickly.

"Yes, business as usual." She replied lightly and his chin ducked stiffly in a slight nod. The awkward silence reigned again and Belle wished that they'd go back to the time when such silences had been neither uncomfortable or necessary between them. Unable to stand it she stood and reached out to take the tray from the table when a wiry hand clasped her wrist. She paused and looked down at him. He looked conflicted and opened his mouth.

"Belle… I…" He floundered and she smiled, her other hand coming down to rest over his as she squeezed it tightly.

"It's alright Mr Gold, how about we start over… it's New Year's Eve tonight after all." She said and his eyes sparkled.

"Why that's very true Belle-of-mine." He said and she cocked her head to the side to bite her lip.

"I'm coming in here to clean today; this floor is giving me nightmares." She murmured and gently withdrew her hand from his grasp as he laughed. She smirked and hoisted the tray onto her hip. Waving airily over her shoulder she hummed as she walked out of the room, the weight she'd never even knew was in her heart lifting with each step.

OoOoOoO

Maurice de Boire flinched at the sound of his front door being belted upon by a confident hand. Moaning he clutched his head and staggered haphazardly towards it, flicking the solid new latch he'd been able to afford with Belle's wages and opening the wooden portal gingerly. He was surprised to see the young man, Gaston, standing on the threshold, looking extremely pleased with himself. Maurice peered up at the man, knowing that he'd have to inform him of Belle's… he couldn't even bare to say it in his head.

"Good morning Mr de Boire." Gaston said and Maurice nodded a curt greeting, swallowing thickly when the movement made his hang over worse. The boy seemed to not to notice his mood and smiled brightly, peering around Maurice's shoulder as if to catch a glimpse of Belle.

"I was wondering if I could speak to Belle, I haven't seen her in some time and was wondering if…"

"She's not here." Maurice said and winced at the barking way it came from his throat. Gaston was a decent lad; he didn't deserve to be yelled at for the unfortunate dealings of that fiend, Gold.

"I beg your pardon?" Gaston said and Maurice opened the door wide allowing the boy entrance into the house that Maurice now lived inside alone. It had fallen into disrepair; the floor was covered in a thin layer of dust except trails where Maurice had walked, the crockery was piled high in the sink of the kitchen and clothes were strewn around the house unwashed and smelling of spirits and sweat. If he'd been in any other frame of mind Maurice would have been embarrassed to showcase the house Belle had taken so much time caring for in such a state but he wasn't and the disgusted look of Gaston's face was unseen by his rheumy alcohol-bleared eyes. He sat down in one of the two plain wooden chairs in the kitchen and indicated the other to Gaston who also sat. For a moment the two men said nothing.

"Mr de Boire, where is Belle?" Gaston asked finally and Maurice covered his face with his hands.

"Gone, all gone. She was taken from me by that treacherous snake, that leach of human misery." He wailed and Gaston's gasp of surprise made him look up. The young, handsome man was staring at Maurice in horror.

"Who took her?" He demanded and Maurice shook furiously.

"That monster, that beast Gold. He took my Belle and I have no idea where or for what." Maurice's cheeks blanched slightly.

"Belle, with that monster? What did you do?" He asked furiously and Maurice sobbed.

"I lost my job down at the factory and Belle, sweet thing that she is, felt responsible to go and get her own… met that snake down at the boards and made a deal to rid us of our debts and… the Ogres." This last word was choked out and Gaston's stiffening made him choke on the lump in his throat.

"At what price?" Gaston demanded and Maurice sighed.

"She never said, not until that man came and took her. Signed the contract he gave her and was whisk out of my door before I could stop it." He moaned and Gaston stood with a muffled curse.

"The Ogres, they have been stopped sure enough but what kind of man will make a deal like that for just one young girl?" He said out loud and Maurice flinched, worried for his baby girl unlike anything he'd felt before.

"I was coming to ask for her hand Maurice, I want to marry her." Gaston said and his words pierced the darkness of Maurice's mind like sunlight through storm clouds.

"You? But…"

"With your blessing and permission, I will search for her, bring her back and marry her, in a few years we will all be able to look back on this time without fear." The young man said strongly and Maurice struggled to his feet. He clasped the man's hand between his own and stared up into the stern dark eyes above him.

"You would do this? For Belle, my Belle?" He asked and Gaston nodded.

"I would and I will. Belle will be my wife." He said and Maurice felt tears of unending gratitude fill his eyes.

"My many blessings Gaston lad." He said and Gaston clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Thank you father, I will not fail you." He said and Maurice de Boire watched as his daughter's hero spun on his heel and stalked to the door, pulling it open and stepping out into the wintery afternoon.

OoOoOoO

Gaston walked away from the de Boire house with a heavy heart. Gold, the infamous Mr Gold feared throughout New York as a ruthless, cold hearted monster, a beast in a silken suit that preyed on the most desperate of souls. His Belle, the very picture of kindness wouldn't have been able to see him as anything other than a benefactor, probably fell for his wiles and was now paying for it. He imagined her, chained in the monster's basemen or worse, his bed, unable to leave and frightened. Her beautiful mane of hair strew across her tear stained face, her clothes ragged and her voice hoarse from screaming. To his surprise he felt himself stiffen and his gait became uneven. A slow smile stole across his own face as he paused on the sidewalk, unable to determine where he would be able to find information about Gold. Information and thinking had never been his strong suits. He'd preferred shooting with his friends in the spring or watching the latest model cars being built in the yards. Belle had been somewhat of a mystery to him, with her books and learning. Her dreams of the world had confused him as well. What normal girl wanted to see the world when all she needed was a house and children to care for, a husband to pamper after a long day's shift. Her innocence and beauty were what drew him. He was the most handsome man in the area and she the most dazzling of women, it was only right they should be together. Satisfied he sat down and began to think, a dangerous past time indeed. A tinkling caught his attention and he looked over to see a shop Belle had frequented many times over the last few years. Lettie's Bookshop. A bookshop would have information on people wouldn't it? He walked over and pushed open the door, the bell over it tinkling as he did so. A squat older woman with thick glasses approached him and he smiled at her, knowing women loved his smiles… except Belle, who only ever rolled her eyes. Shaking away the thought he cleared his throat.

"I am looking for a book." He told the woman who nodded and waved a hand around her bemusedly.

"You've come to the right place then." She answered and Gaston scowled.

"No I need to find a person, but I have no idea where to look. Books have information don't they?" Gaston asked and the woman's steel eyes seemed to laugh.

"Why yes sir they do, quite a lot actually. If you're looking for famous people I suggest that section over there." She said and pointed to a dusty section towards the back of the shop. Frustrated Gaston bit his lip.

"I'm looking for information of Mr Gold." He said and the woman's eyes instantly lost their shine. Her arms folded across her chest and she scowled at him darkly.

"What business do you think I run here?" She demanded and Gaston sneered.

"Obviously not a good one, I wish to know if there is anything written about the man but apparently your bookshop won't cut it." He said tauntingly and the woman's eyes snapped with anger.

"Try the town records, book shops are for books, we are an institute of learning. Town hall should have something for you." She said and waved him out of her shop. As he left he shouted back the reason for his quest in desperation and turned to see the woman's eyes widen and fill with tears.

"Good luck lad, bring her home safely I beg you." She whispered and Gaston felt his pride return slightly. By nightfall everyone would know he was on a quest for Belle, and everyone would be behind him. Standing on the street corner Gaston tried to remember the way to the town hall. Finally he recalled and began to walk, through the snow towards it. When he arrived he was annoyed to see the place was packed tight with people and shouldered his way through them to reach a large room stacked high with books and shelves. An old man stood behind a wooden counter and glared at him.

"Can I help you?" He asked and Gaston nodded.

"I'm looking for records on Mr Gold." He said and the man's eyes became wary.

"You with the police?" He asked dubiously and Gaston nodded, lying through his teeth.

"Yes, new case opened up recently and I was in need of old information." Gaston said and the man hurried to escort him to an older section of the room, filled with shelves of what appeared to be alphabetized labels.

"You will find everything about Gold in that drawer there." The old man said and cocked his head suddenly.

"Your partner was in earlier today." The muttered and Gaston raised an eyebrow.

"Officer Mills, tall woman, dark hair and very beautiful. Came in asking about Gold too, she left about an hour ago saying she was headed to Brooklyn." He said and Gaston nodded. He would find this Mills woman whoever she was and maybe some of his questions would be answered.

"Thank you." He said and turned away, thoroughly dismissing the man. He opened the draw and leafed through several newspaper prints, a city file, police reports and even immigration documents from Scotland before the war. So far however there was nothing of real value and after about half an hour he gave up. He threw everything back into the draw and slammed it shut. Shaking his head with disgust Gaston hurried from the building and stared around, wondering how he'd get to Brooklyn. Trains were still running and he searched his wallet to find that he had just enough to take him to Brooklyn but that the walk home would be a long and very cold one. Grimacing he walked towards the nearest station and was relieved to find that the dark tunnels that were the train system of New York were relatively warm by comparison to the weather outside. He paid for his ticket and hopped aboard the train, seating himself as far from the other passengers as possible and earning a few meaningful glances from the women around him. Brooklyn arrived swiftly and he got off before walking out into the snowy world once more to blink around him in bewilderment. People scurried back and forth, either ready for the night's revels or to find shelter for yet another winter night in New York. The fire bins of the homeless were more prominent here than in Manhattan and he watched the desperate, depraved souls wander around the streets in a haze. Ignoring their cries became easier as he went and he was soon able to block them out altogether until he realised he had no idea where he was going. He began to ask people if they knew of Officer Mills but received the same answer… no. He went about like this for about an hour until he stopped a passing patrol car and asked if they knew an Officer Mills.

"Mills you say? No, I can't say I have." The copper announced and his partner shook his head.

"A woman; dark hair, quite pretty." Gaston said, going off the description the old man at town hall had said. Both cops gave him a strange look.

"Only one woman on the force in all of Manhattan and that's Deputy Swan… no officer called Mills mate." The cop informed him and drove off before Gaston could argue. Perplexed he realised now that this Mills must have tricked the town hall clerk as well and groaned. She probably didn't even live in Brooklyn. Sitting down on a nearby bench he gazed around him blankly.

"Are you looking for me?" A voice asked from behind him and Gaston whirled to see a very beautiful woman approaching him. She was tall, had crisp dark hair that curled beside a pale, striking face with the lines of aristocracy written into every plane and angle. She lifted a single, manicured eyebrow and Gaston recovered his voice.

"Are you Officer Mills?" He asked and the woman smirked.

"When I need to be." She replied smoothly and he gaped at her.

"Who are you and what do you want?" She asked him and her tone was far from amused. He realised that the street around them was empty, that even the fire bins were deserted of people and that the situation was rapidly turning into something like a nightmare. Danger crackled around this woman like electricity and Gaston took a wary step back.

"Gaston, ma'am. I'm looking for Gold, he has something of mine and I want it back." He said and the woman laughed; a bubbling cackle that set his teeth on edge and raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

"Gold? Gold's untouchable, even for someone like me. What makes you think that a little man like you, with no connections or power could bring down the most dangerous man in New York City?" She demanded and Gaston raised his chin stubbornly.

"I came to you because I heard you might have information about him, about where he is. I don't ask for your help or anyone else's" HE said and a flicker of admiration flashed in the woman's dark, coal-black eyes.

"Is that so? Why Gaston I admire such spirit in a man." She said and held out a slim, delicate hand which he took and shook. She smirked and retracted the limb hurriedly.

"Although I am Regina Mills, you will refer to me as my Queen for I am the Queen of Brooklyn and your quest interests me. I often find myself drawn to the quests of brave men, brave being by far the kindest name for stupid." Regina said smartly and Gaston swallowed the angry words bubbling in his throat. This woman was obviously powerful and if he could garner her aid then his quest might become that much easier.

"Thank you my Queen." He said and she smiled with all the warmth of a shark.

"Now, come Gaston tell me what the good Beast stole from you." Regina asked and indicated for him to follow her. She spun on her heel and began to trot away on her dainty heels. He followed her like some lost and bewildered puppy, stumbling over his words in his haste.

"My fiancé, he took her to pay off a debt of her father's." He said and Regina clucked sympathetically. She said nothing however and they walked on in silence until they reached a warehouse by the side of the docks and the door was opened to admit them. Stairs to their right led up into a higher level and the ground floor was alive with activity, men moving about containers that bubbled and hissed in a way that made Gaston wary. There were a few men dotted around, dressed completely in black who seemed to be watching over the workers with a superior and threatening air but Regina swept past and ascended the stairs, making Gaston remember himself and follow suit. At the top of these stairs the upper level was revealed to be a single opulent room, wide and spacious with decedent black and white ornaments. The walls were lined with mirrors. Hundreds of mirrors, set in beautiful frames hung from the walls around him and Gaston's watched as their reflections moved about them in a fashion he found quite disconcerting. On the furthest wall, a wide window looked out over the river towards the sparkling lights of sunset New York. The room felt like a giant eye, constantly open, constantly watching his every movement.

"My mirrors allow me to see, this is my nest and I must feel comfortable in my nest." Regina said and Gaston nodded quickly.

"Yes my Queen." He said and waited as she walked over to a desk that sat in a corner, sitting herself down in the chair and gazing at him seriously.

"Now Gaston, your quest is to recover this girl from Gold's clutches… I am very interested as to why?" She said and Gaston choked.

"I love her…" He began but Regina stood with a snarl.

"I know what love is and you do not love this girl, I will ask you only once more as to your reasons to find this girl." She asked and Gaston swallowed. He knew he could not lie to this woman, she seemed to see straight through his soul.

"She is beautiful and she is mine, she is my betrothed and since we were children that has always been the case. No man may take what is mine, no matter who he is or what he controls." He said and Regina smiled thinly.

"You pride has been abused, you saw this girl as yours and another stole her from you. Very well my valiant hero, you shall rescue your fiancé from the beast's clutches and return to your neighbourhood a hero. I ask though, what makes this girl so important?" She asked and Gaston smirked.

"She is beautiful, but headstrong. I will tame her and she will be grateful to be saved by me." He said and Regina smiled.

"I have always believed there are two kinds of people in this world, sheep and wolves. You my dear Gaston are a wolf for sure and that delights me. I will help you find this girl, what is her name?" She asked and Gaston smiled.

"Belle de Boire." He said, missing the way the woman's eyes shot upwards in surprise.

"Belle, what a beautiful name." She mused and Gaston nodded, oblivious to her absent, pensive expression. When next her voice ame he flinched at its harshness.

"Rooms will be prepared for you, you will stay here and we will plot together the next action forwards. Fear not Gaston, your precious Belle will soon be with you." She said and Gaston knew instinctively he was being dismissed. He bowed and staggered backwards, running into a man in black who led him silently downstairs and out to another building nearby. He was shown inside and smiled as a buxom beauty arose from a recliner to sway towards him. The guard grinned at him and Gaston winked. The door closed behind him and Gaston turned to face the girl, who looked to be no more than sixteen or seventeen at the most.

"On your knees." He ordered and she smiled, slinking slowly to the ground. Gaston fumbled for the front of his trousers and allowed his near bursting member to spring forward. The girl opened her mouth like a baby bird seeking nourishment from its mother and her sweet lips enclosed around him. Gaston's head rocked back and he groaned, all thoughts of Belle slipping from as his mind and the girl began to suck.

OoOoOoO

"What are you doing?" Gold asked warily as Belle walked into his office, a ladder under her slim arm and a triumphant gleam in her eye. He'd been able to gather a few hours' sleep in his room before re-joining the paper work that had somehow multiplied during his absence. For the last three days he had sheltered in the West Wing, avoiding all contact with the world outside and especially the pretty auburn haired cleaner who'd been on the lookout for him. At first it had been because he was furious, then fury had ebbed to remorse at blowing up at the girl for his own foolishness and finally shame. Shame was an emotion he had not felt for a long time and considering some of the things he had done over the years there had been plenty of opportunities for it to crop up. He had known she was searching for him and like the coward he was he'd ignored her, stayed holed up in the only part of the house he had forbidden her entry and watched from the shadows as she went about her days. Finally the solitude had gotten to him. Once he could have gone weeks without seeing anyone and it wouldn't have affected him yet, three days without speaking to Belle, without seeing her laugh or smile at something he said had sent him into a desperate state that would only rectify itself in her presence. He had been so worried, that morning when she'd walked in baring the tea. Her face had been so blank and impassive, her manner so cold, he'd nearly run in shame again. Then she'd looked at him and smiled, smiled like nothing had happened and he knew then he'd never seen a more beautiful expression on a human's face then in that moment. Now here she was, armed and determined to turn the quiet sanctuary of his office upside down. Sitting back he watched as she grinned at him and stalked to the window behind him.

"I'm taking down these curtains, there's much too much darkness in here." She said and he quirked a brow at her amusedly. She huffed and set the ladder against the wall, climbing it nimbly without a second thought. Gold watched her cautiously. She tugged at the curtain and all that fell was a shower of dust that had her coughing and him moving swiftly out of the way to avoid its fall.

"What did you do, nail them down?" She asked him sarcastically and he chuckled.

"Of course." He retorted and she looked down at him, hands planted on her slim hips. She waggled a finger at him faux-furiously and turned on the ladder to face the curtains again. It wobbled a little and she frowned.

"Maybe you should…" He began and she scowled.

"Un uh, I'm sticking to this…" She muttered and hauled at the suborn curtain, her knuckles turning white from effort as she tugged at it. It gave only a little and her triumphant smile disappearing as she became suddenly aware of the ladder beneath her that was reeling like a drunken sailor. She stepped down a bit and steadied it before moving upwards once more to grasp the curtain.

"Third time's the charm." She remarked and tossed the end of her shawl over her shoulder flippantly and narrowed her gaze. She gave the curtain a firm yank and two things happened. One, the curtain came loose in her hand and two, the ladder beneath her suddenly snapped like dried kindling. So preoccupied on its stability neither had noticed the hairline fracture that had worked its way across the middle of the ladder, causing it to weaken and finally snap with Belle's final tug. For a moment she seemed to dangle in mid-air and then she fell with barely a gasp towards the ground. Gold was by no means young or strong and his leg could barely hold his weight at times, let alone Belle's, but he reacted without thinking. He threw himself forwards as she came down and an arm slinked around her slim waist, taking her weight as she landed. His knee did give out and the crashed to the floor, her on top of his chest but miraculously unharmed. His nostrils were filled with the tantalising scent of wild violet, polish and that distinct Belle smell he'd come to recognise throughout his Palace. Gold shifted and opened his eyes to find a sight he'd never thought he see before him. Belle lay sprawled atop him, her glowing russet hair a wild mess as she lifted her head up off his chest to gaze at him in shocked wonder. Her azure coloured eyes were round and her cheeks the colour of fresh snow. She was unhurt and he was grateful, knowing that because of him his Belle was fine. His Belle? Since when was she his Belle? He shook his head.

"Thank you." She whispered and his thoughts instantly reconnected. With a start he remembered what kind of position they now lay in and so apparently did she. Her cheeks flushed a vivid crimson and she hastily scrambled off him.

"God I'm so sorry, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" She asked and her hand was on his shoulder before he knew which way was up or down.

"Yes, I am fine. Are you injured?" He asked and she smiled brightly.

"Thanks to you, I'm a picture of health… you shouldn't have tried to catch me though." She told him seriously and he grinned morbidly.

"Oh yes because I love cleaning the blood of eighteen year old girls off my hardwood floor." HE murmured sardonically and she giggled.

"You old rogue." She said and helped him to his feet. Gold grasped the table and twisted his leg gingerly, silently calculating if any damage had actually occurred or that he was genuinely fine. She returned with his cane and he grasped it gratefully.

"I'm sorry." She said and he glanced at her curiously. She indicated to the now ruined curtain, through which light, pure as snow filtered into his office. Its cave-like atmosphere disappeared like fog over the Hudson and he shook his head.

"I'll just have to get used to the dark dearie." He said and she smiled. They were less than a few inches from each other and he noticed that now, with her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling with adrenalin, Belle de Boire was by far the most captivating woman on the planet. She was gazing into his eyes and he found himself getting lost in their oceanic depths. The moment stretched and he was about to say something. A knock at the door interrupted them and he cursed silently as Belle stepped away, fixing her hair and moving to begin clearing up the fallen curtain and splintered ladder.

"Intrude!" He barked and the door cracked to admit Ruby Lucas who smirked at them, as if she knew what she'd almost interrupted.

"Evening Gold, some of the girls and I are heading out tonight… I'm not working on New Year's because I worked Christmas as did Mary and Ashley like you asked us." She said boldly and moved into the room to stand before his desk. Gold pursed his lips and stared at her.

"Indeed." Was all he said and she lifted her chin proudly.

"Yes indeed. I was coming to ask if Belle was allowed to come with us." She continued and Gold whirled at Belle's startled gasp. She was looking at them, expectation in her bright blue eyes. She peered at him and then down at the neatly folded curtain in her hand. He was on the verge of saying no when she spoke quietly.

"Ruby that's really nice of you and the girls, but if Mr Gold needs me here tonight then I'll stay." She whispered and Gold felt like a monster. Here he was, an old man, depriving a beautiful young girl the time she deserved, a party with friends on New Year's Eve. He cleared his voice and turned to face Ruby, knowing it would easier to say it to her then Belle.

"You'll take care of her won't you?" He asked and Ruby's dark eyes seemed to warm slightly.

"Won't let her out of my sight." She vowed and Gold felt instantly more relaxed, sure the pretty bartender meant every word.

"Very well," He said as nonchalantly as he could, moving to sit down at his desk and draw his papers towards him.

"You may go Belle, just listen to Ruby and stay with her at all…" He never got to finish because he was suddenly engulfed in the aroma of violets and Belle. He stiffened as her arms came around his shoulders and her lips connected with his right cheek lightly.

"Thank you Mr Gold." She whispered and walked away towards a shocked looking Ruby. Gold could do nothing but stare after her as she disappeared through the door and he fixed Ruby with his most piercing glare.

"If anything happens to her…" He warned and she smiled softly.

"Nothing will happen to her, I swear it." She repeated and rapped on his desk top cheerfully.

"Happy New Year, Mr Gold." She called merrily and skipped to the door, waltzing through it like some mischievous red coated sprite. Gold sat alone for a few minutes in heavy silence before slowly, his arm moved up and lightly brushed the spot Belle's lisp had graced but moments before. Dazedly he gazed at the papers before him and knew without a doubt, he was in serious, serious trouble.

**Hope you all liked it, review and let me know because well, it's just how I roll. Next chapter will include Emma, Henry and a New Year's ball with Belle, Ruby, Mary Margret and Ashley. So excited, I'm already writing it… **


	5. Chapter 5

Five:

**Happy New Year (lol) hope you all enjoy it, starts out pretty fluffy but don't expect it to end that way. Thanks for all the reviews guys, they give me wings.**

"Please Belle; tell me you have something better than that?" Ruby whined as Belle pulled on the dress she'd worn her first day here. She looked over at Ruby and frowned defensively. From the bed Calico chirped in a way that seemed to indicate he too was offended by Ruby's assessment of her dress.

"It's not that bad Ruby and besides, I don't have anything else." She said stiffly and Ruby smiled.

"Come on." Ruby said and tugged her back down the ladder to the elevator. Ruby thumped the iron lattice around them and smirked as Belle grimaced.

"You right?" She asked and Belle shrugged.

"I hate this thing." She said simply and crossed her arms over her chest. Ruby nodded and picked at a fleck of peeling gold paint.

"I don't like it all that much either, but in saying that I also hate being indoors… too much like a cage for my liking, give me wide open spaces and a sky full of stars." She said and Belle smiled.

"I like being held, just not contained. I hate the idea of someone mastering me because no one controls my fate but me." She said and felt Ruby's nod of approval.

"And that's why you and I are friends." She said spiritedly and clapped Belle on the back as they stepped out onto the second floor.

"Where are we going?" Belle asked and Ruby winked, pulling the stunned girl after her as they entered the common room. Ashley and Mary Margret were seated in two overstuffed armchairs and turned, twin glasses of cherry in their neatly manicured hands.

"Belle! Tell me we aren't taking you looking like that!" Mary asked and Belle rolled her eyes.

"Not even a how are you." Belle muttered sarcastically as she was engulfed by the glowing brunette. Ashley sat looking pretty in light blue, her blonde hair piled delicately upon her head in a complicated series of braided strands. Her dress was a crepe creation of ruffles and tactfully placed diamantes that made her look simply angelic. It had an off the shoulder neckline and no sleeves, falling to just above her ankles and swirling like water around her feet. Mary Margret was dressed in a glittering green dress that showed off her ample cleavage and slim legs to their best advantage. The sleek, silken design was box cut and very fashionable. A square cut bodice and shirt that felt to above her knee, Mary's tiny waist was accentuated by the black belt around her middle. Bright green feathers decorated her shiny black hair and she smiled dazzlingly at Belle who suddenly felt quite prudish in her home made red skirt and jacket ensemble. She looked over at Ruby, a siren of red silk and black and rolled her eyes.

"Fine. What do you suggest I do?" She demanded and Ruby giggled. She and Mary approached; identical looks of wicked glee in their eyes. Belle was thrust backwards into her own seat as the pair bore down on her.

"I feel like a doll, what have you two done to me?" Belle demanded as the four of them descended the elevator, dressed in their finery and ready for the night's revels. All Belle knew was that she was dressed in yellow which she was sure clashed awfully with her hair. It wasn't that she didn't trust Ruby or Mary Margret it was simply the fact that she knew her looks were atypical and not a lot of what she did suited people's tastes. Normally she didn't mind her hair; it was a russet brown that could be useful in fading in with backgrounds as long as she didn't do much with it. Now, with it piled atop her head in a skilful bun, she felt dreadfully plain next to these women who were obvious skilled at making men want them or at least dressing in a way that suggested they knew they were beautiful.

"You look beautiful Belle, just relax and enjoy the night." Mary said comfortingly as they walked out into the spotless atrium.

"I love what you've done to the place." Ashley teased and Belle stuck her tongue out as they walked across the shining marble towards the now open doors, through which New Year's revellers were already at work laughing and drinking in the snowing street. She glanced at the girls and smiled broadly, excitement drumming through her veins.

"Let's go." She said and Ruby crowed. The four trekked outside and joined the ever-thickening crowd of party goers, unaware that they were under carefully scrutiny. Soon they were in Central Park heading towards the Downtown area, where the celebration of New Year's Eve would be held and the fireworks would be set off over Liberty Island. They stopped many times along the way, buying drinks and at one point donning masks that Ruby said were necessary for the evening but Belle though was her spontaneous idea of free, unattached flirting opportunity. Mask in place the world of late night New York became a wonderland of colour, lights and fun. People were dancing and drinking in the streets and for once, the depression was forgotten as everyone was swept into the jubilant atmosphere, their troubles fading with the dark. Belle giggled as a small haze began to form in her brain, deciding then and there that she'd had enough to drink for one night. The sensible side of her brain realised that Ruby was not going to be much help later on and so she found herself shaking her head at each new drink as slowly Ruby, Mary Margret and Ashley all succumbed to their temptations. They reached Times Square and the night's revels began to climax. It was steadily approaching midnight and the four of them were near the sea side, staring out over the water towards Liberty Island with a rapidly amassing crowd of New Yorkers. Belle was pushed and shoved by people around her and although she'd previously being enjoying herself found her breath coming short and her body slowly crushed. Ruby had managed to hoist herself atop a railing and she turned to hand Belle up beside her.

"Having fun?" She asked and her words only slurred the smallest bit, belying the amount of alcohol she'd actually consumed on the three hour walk they'd undertaken. Belle smiled and hugged her tightly.

"The best, thank you." She said and Ruby hugged her back just as tightly. Mary Margret had disappeared into the crowd and Ashley was staring morosely into the distance, her pretty face slack with sadness. Belle touched her arm.

"What's wrong Cinderella?" She asked and the girl smiled thinly.

"All dressed up but no one to see." She said sadly and Belle glowered at her.

"Are you kidding me, look around you? There are about a hundred guys around this pier alone and I'm sure if you tried you will find the one decent man you deserve to have look after you." She said bracingly, receiving a great shock when the blonde threw her arms around her shoulders in a sloppy drunken embrace.

"Thanks Belle, you know… I think I'll give it a shot." She said and slipped off the railing, her bright blue dress disappearing into the crowd. Belle smiled after her, knowing that she'd be able to handle anyone who tried to bother with her and hoping she found her prince charming. Ashley was the second youngest in their group, only two years older than Belle herself. Ruby herself swore she'd been that age only five years ago but Mary Margret delighted in informing Belle that this was falsified information. Belle herself began to feel the excitement of the night begin to settle in her gut, the growing anticipation becoming almost unbearable. A small sigh to her left made her turn to the small boy on the railing beside her who was staring out into the sea with an expression a strange parallel to Ashley's only moments ago. Belle chuckled.

"It's seems everyone is sad tonight, strange when you think about New Year as being a time for starting over." Belle said to the kid, who looked to be no more than ten or so. His head snapped up and he stared at her in shock. She smiled and extended her hand.

"I'm Belle." She said and he grinned, extending his own and clasping her gloved hand tightly. He had dark hair, a round honest face and wide brown eyes that sparkled with intelligence. Belle wondered if he saw a train wreck she imagined she must be by now.

"Henry Swan." He said and Belle smiled.

"What's got you so upset Henry?" She asked and he shrugged, holding a small package closer to his chest that she'd previously been unaware of. She nodded towards it.

"What's that?" She asked and he held it out before him.

"It's my book of people." He said and she tilted her head to look at him curiously.

"How very exciting, I love books… what people are in there?" She asked and Henry puffed out in pride.

"I collect all kinds of stuff, about bad people… my Mum's a police officer and she said it's better to know more about your enemy then you want to than to be left in the dark." He said and Belle's eye widened.

"Your mum's on the force?" She asked and Henry nodded proudly.

"She's currently the only female officer in New York, Deputy Swan of the NYPD." He said and Belle nodded slowly, allowing her legs to swing slightly in the night air. Below them the sea pounded and she smiled.

"You're obviously very proud of her." She said and Henry nodded.

"She's a hero; she helps people all the time but…" He sighed and looked down at his book. Belle let out her own deep sigh and inched closer to him, mindful of the rather filthy railing and the effect it was probably having on her dress.

"My mother's dead and I probably won't see my father again for a long, long time… between you and me, the pain we feel when we're apart from those we love is just a reminder of how much they're missing us too. If it hurts us, then it's got to be hurting them too." She said and Henry smiled at her, his eyes lighting up.

"Do you really think so?" He asked and Belle nodded pensively, gazing towards Liberty Island as a small smile flickered across her lips.

"I know so Henry." She said and ruffled his hair affectionately. He ducked away and scowled at her playfully.

"Do you want to know why I'm sad tonight?" Belle asked and Henry frowned.

"But Princesses aren't meant to be sad." He said and Belle chuckled.

"I'm no princess. I'm not even a lady… I'm just Belle de Boire and I don't have a partner for New Year's Eve." She said and Henry looked up at her sceptically. She nodded, twiddling her thumbs in a disappointed fashion.

"I got dressed up in this ridiculous dress, tamed my hair and managed to walk all the way from the Upper East Side only to arrive and find; I had no partner waiting for me." She said and leant her chin into the palm of her hand.

"I could be your partner." Henry said brightly and Belle sat up, as though the thought had only just occurred to her.

"You wouldn't mind would you?" She asked and Henry puffed out his chest with all the chivalry of a ten year old boy.

"Not at all." He said and she hugged him carefully, aware of their tentative balance on the railing. He hugged her back before tilting his head to look up at her.

"You look beautiful Belle, like an actual princess." He said and she smiled.

"Thanks Henry, you look rather dashing yourself." She said and he grinned. Ruby's sudden shout made Belle whipped around to face her.

"It's starting!" The enthusiastic brunette crowed and the crowd around them began to chant.

"Ten… nine… eight…" Belle gripped Henry's hand and smiled as he began to call out with the rest of them.

"Seven… six… five…" She joined in now and peered expectantly at Liberty Island.

"Four… three… two… one… Happy New Year!" The shout rose like thunder and the explosion of lights from the island made both of them gasp. Rockets of all shape and colour exploded over Liberty Bay and the crowd oohed and aahed with appreciation as fountain after fountain of incredible colour rained down from the jewelled sky. Belle turned to Henry and lifted the mask away from her face.

"Time to celebrate partner." She said and he smiled bashfully. She leaned in a pressed a quick peck to his cheek, not liking how cold it was but unable to scold him through the buzz in her brain and the excitement in the air. He was grinning like a wild thing and began to whoop and wave along with everyone as the fireworks continued their magic, driving away the sorrows of the past year and opening the door to the next. Belle glanced at Ruby and saw she was tangle up in the arms of a random man, her mouth pressed to his hungrily and soft moans escaping her as she writhes against him. Blushing furiously Belle hopped down and took Henry's hand.

"Where's your mum?" She asked and he gazed around.

"Working but she said to come to the pier after the fireworks… would you like to meet her?" HE asked and Belle nodded.

"I'd love that. Ruby!" She called and the brunette broke away from her partner to peer drowsily at her.

"I'm going to help Henry find his mother, don't go anywhere." She said and Ruby nodded, waving her off and regluing her lips to the man's. Shaking her head bemusedly Belle was escorted through the crowd by Henry until they reached the pier and a tall, strong-looking blonde emerged from the crowd. She smiled when she saw Henry and faltered slightly when she saw Belle at his side.

"Henry!" She cried and swooped forward to hug her son close to her. She looked up over his head and smiled at Belle.

"Hello, Emma Swan. Deputy of NYPD." She said and Belle's eyes flicked momentarily to rest on the holster on the woman's hip before she smiled and shook her extended hand.

"Belle de Boire, I met Henry down at the fireworks and simply had to meet you… a wonderful gentlemen you've raise Mrs Swan." She said and the woman grinned.

"Thank you, and its Miss Swan." She said, her face expected what Belle was sure was the typical judgement most single mother's received at the hands of society. Belle felt growing admiration for this Emma Swan, a woman on her own trying to raise a little boy as best she could on the streets of New York.

"I was thinking Emma was enough." She said and Emma's shoulders relaxed the merest fraction. Belle winked at Henry who giggled and tilted his face up to gaze at his mother.

"Doesn't she look like a princess Mum?" She said and Emma nodded. Her own outfit was a sensible pair of slacks, buttons up police jacket and well-worn boots. Somehow, despite this she retained a feminine grace Belle found gratifying.

"Indeed she does Henry and what do you do with your time Belle?" Emma asked as the three of them walked back into the gradually depleting crowd. Belle smiled and shrugged.

"Cleaning mostly, I work on the Upper East Side." She said and Emma nodded.

"Used to make my rounds there but the place has cleaned itself up a lot in the past few years, now I'm mostly in the Central Park area." She said and Belle twirled her mask around her index finger whimsically.

"All those new residents I suppose." She said and Emma sighed.

"Yes, hard times make for desperate people." Emma agreed and they walked on in silence.

"Do you work for a hotel?" Henry asked and Belle tried to find a polite way to explain her current place of occupation.

"Not exactly, I work in a building that has yet to reveal itself fully to me." She said and the boy's interest was clearly peaked.

"Really? Is it a mystery?" He asked and Belle nodded.

"Of a sort, Mr Gold's Palace is a strange place but so far I've been pretty lucky." She said and instantly wished she'd never said a word. Henry gasped and Emma's eyes hardened.

"Mr Gold, as in the Mr Gold?" Emma asked and Belle nodded. Emma's eyes took on a scrutinising quality as she gave Belle a once over that set her teeth on edge.

"Yes, he's actually not that bad a person when you get to know him" She retorted stiffly. Henry looked unconvinced.

"Not according to my book, he's in there and from what I can tell, he'll a dangerous man." The little boy said seriously. Belle drew herself up with dignity.

"We all make mistakes, and in the end most people rarely if ever leave this world in the same state we entered it." She said and Emma scowled.

"Look you seem like a nice girl so I'll be straight with you." She said and the three of them stop in the middle of the street. Belle peered at Deputy Swan warily, arms folded across her chest and her chin set at a defensive angle.

"Gold's a difficult man to describe but the best my teams ever been able to surmise is that he's got an eye on every wall and at least two fingers in every pie… the man is slippery and he preys on those who are desperate enough to make deals with him, without fully understanding their implications." Emma said sternly and Belle sighed. She glanced up at the midnight sky, praying for patience.

"I know Emma, I work for him don't I? I made a deal with him didn't I?" She demanded and Emma's mouth opened in a small gasp.

"What… what was your agreement?" She asked and Belle shrugged. It really wasn't anyone else's business but for some reason Henry's worried gaze made her want to tell the Swans what had happened and so, reluctantly, she did.

"My Papa lost his job… we were about to lose our house and everything worth pawning had been destroyed by the local gang. I met him when I was down on the Board St and he helped us." She said and Emma's gaze suddenly cleared.

"What was this gang's name?" she asked and Belle shuddered.

"The Ogres, nasty bunch of rogues who preyed on my neighbourhood for years." She said and Emma sighed.

"The Ogres? You'll be glad to know, they're no more." She said and Belle's eyebrows shot straight to her hairline.

"I beg your pardon?" She stuttered and Emma nodded.

"We received an anonymous tip, telling us where we could find the hideout of a criminal organisation known as the Ogres. We'd been tailing them for weeks, even had a few undercover operations in place but nothing was working. This tip came like a blessing and the next night we rounded the whole lot of them up, in a dockside warehouse stacked high with illegal firearms, unmarked bills and stolen goods." She muttered and Belle felt her heart soaring like a sea bird on a warm currant.

"So they're gone, for good." She said and Emma nodded.

"It was an all members meeting, the only one they hold. It occurs every five years so this tip was like nothing we'd ever gotten before. We tried to find the tipper but he vanished as though he never existed but now it seems we know who it was and even why." She said and Belle clasped the woman's arm earnestly.

"You mustn't tell anyone, please." She begged and Emma eyes softened.

"Of course I won't, if they didn't reveal themselves we cannot legally name them." She said and Belle sighed with relief. They continued walking and eventually reached the place where Belle had left Ruby. The only problem was that Ruby was nowhere to be seen. Belle felt panic set in but refused to let it show in front of Emma and Henry. She bent down to meet his eyes and extended her hand. He looked at it and then grasped it firmly, his brown eyes lighting up eagerly.

"Thanks for being the best New Year's partner ever." She said and he bowed theatrically. She laughed and ruffled his hair again, delighting in his scowl.

"It was a pleasure to meet you as well Emma, I do hope we see each other again." Belle said bracingly as she stood, holding out her hand to end the unease they were all experiencing. Emma nodded and they shook hands.

"If you have any problems, with Gold or anyone, give me a call and I'll be around faster than you can say." She promised and Belle felt overwhelmed. The nodded at the Swans and spun on her heel, striding away into the crowd for a long trip homeward. How could Ruby have abandoned her? Where was Mary Margret and Ashley? She pushed her way through the tightly packed square but couldn't find any of them. She realised then that she would have to begin her journey home without them. Screwing her courage, and allowing the buzz in her brain to mull over the alarm bells in her mind, Belle exited Times Square and began her journey north. She passed other revellers who shouted out to her and who she avoided as much as possible. The night air was colder now that she was away from the press and warmth of a crowd and Belle found herself shaking slightly in her flimsy party dress. It was times like this she wished she had her shawl but all three of her friends had informed her she would not be leaving the house with it while dressed in such a way.

"Damn them and their fashions." Belle muttered to the frosty air and clutched her arms tighter around herself. Belle found that she was suddenly unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched. She'd felt it all night but thus far had been unable to find its source. Shadows seemed to lengthen and even though all around she still found herself to be quite alone, except for a few drunks and homeless desperates who shuffled wearily in the dark, Belle found herself on the edge of paranoid panic. Suddenly anxious to be home Belle pushed on, picking up her swirling yellow skirts to move faster through the night. The rapid pace picked up into a run as she raced through wintery New York and her blood pounded in her head. Suddenly she stumbled, her extremely impractical heels catching on a crack in the sidewalk and sending her sprawling on the mean concrete. Fabric tore and she groaned as the skin was ripped from her palms, elbows and knees. Winded, she lay stunned on the snow covered ground for a few moments, allowing herself to regain some of her breath back. Carefully she climbed to her feet and began to limp forward, unable to fully stretch out her scrapped knees. She rounded a corner and gasped as her path was blocked by a man, bathed in shadow and smelling awfully of liquor and sweat. She gagged and stepped back.

"Excuse me sir, I was just passing by." She said politely and moved to get past him. He moved to block her, making not a single noise as he did so. Belle swallowed thickly and stepped sideways, hoping he'd made an honest mistake. No such luck. He moved to block her again. The first tendrils of fear crept into her blood, making it as cold as ice. Hurriedly Belle stepped back, preying he wouldn't follow but not at all surprised when he followed her every move.

"That's quite enough, sir." She said again and finally the man chuckled.

"It speaks, the mouse speaks. Perhaps later, when the mouse has learnt, she'll know better than to speak." He said and his words were slurred with liquor in a voice as deep a thunder. Belle closed her mouth and took another step back.

"You stay away from me." She ordered as forcefully as she could but found her voice nothing more than a sorry whisper that made the shadow laugh. His laugh was like a blade sliding along the length of her back and Belle shuddered.

"Stay back!" She cried and he suddenly launched himself at her, grasping her brutally around her wrists and dragging her forwards. She screamed and struggled violently, desperately trying to wrench her limbs from his grasp. It was to no avail. He simply clung tighter, his grip becoming like steel around her slim wrists until she buckled at the pain and crumbled to the ground with a gasp of pain.

"There mouse, that's where you belong. On your knees for me. Now you will use that mouth for its proper purpose." She heard him say and felt terror unlike anything she'd ever imagined.

"No!" She cried and the side of her face exploded with pain, sending her reeling to the floor without another sound. Dazed and unable to think straight Belle heard the distant sound of fabric tearing and realised she was not going to escape this. Using what little strength she had Belle groaned and rolled away, crawling backwards on her elbows and bring her knees up defensively. She heard him exhale in pain and another blow landed on her stomach completely winding her and leaving her without the will or ability to move.

"No, no, no, no, no." Was all she could say as he loomed over her, his eyes glowing like demented black coals in the darkened alley. She tried to be brave, to remember what it felt like to be brave, as his hands pawed at her breasts, her face and her thighs, slipping between them and wrenching them apart.

"NO!" She thought the sound had come from her own lips but the man above her stopped and she realised that there was another person there, another person had come and saved her. She felt tears begin to leak from her eyes as she brought her knees up one last time and thrust out at her assailant who staggered back slightly. In moments her rescuer was on them and Belle felt her eyes close as the sounds of wood whistling through the air and colliding with flesh met her ears. It was hard, fast and dreadful. The sounds coming from her assailant were at first howls of pain, then sobs and pleads for mercy and finally awful ringing silence. She passed out just as a familiar figure loomed over her and gentle hand tenderly stroked her face.

OoOoOoO

Gold had a bad feeling throughout the evening as the Lucas girl whisked his Belle away. He watched as they left and finally after a few hours trying to ignore the fact that he was worried, got up and left the building. He walked towards Times Square, aware that this was probably the route they had taken a subsequently found the girls by the water front awaiting the fireworks that were to happen upon the stroke of midnight. People bustled around him and even in the foul mood he was currently in managed to piss him off and brush against him. He watched throughout the night as first Mary Margret then the simple girl Ashley made their ways out into the world, leaving Ruby and Belle alone for a time. Both were perched on the railing and embraced warmly. His Belle was simply stunning. Even if he hadn't already been watching her Gold knew his eyes would have been drawn to her like a moth's flight was drawn to a flickering flame. Her gown was beautiful, the colour of golden sunrise on a perfect spring day that balanced beautifully with her russet hair. It clinched at her slim waist then fell in gentle folds to her ankles, baring her arms and neck to the open air. Her usually ever present shawl was missing and several times he watched her hand drift unconsciously to her shoulder only to fall back to her side and fiddle with the glistening fabric of her dress. Her unpredictable curls were wound up into a complicated twist atop her head which made her azure eyes seem bigger than usual behind the delicate cream mask she wore over her face. Even under that mask Gold could recognise her. The way she sat, the way she moved and spoke were familiar to him and he felt the first glimmers of sadness when he saw her converse with a young boy next to her. She laughed, teased and admired him, the perfect model of a mother. The lad himself could be no more than ten or eleven years of age and at midnight while everyone around him cheered in the New Year Gold found himself staring at the pair as they kissed innocently and laughed. Perturbed he tried to reason logically with himself and did chuckle at the swiftness of Ruby's flirtatious actions, which saw her deposited quickly into the lap of a nearby reveller. Belle herself seemed completely absorbed by the wee lad she was with and Gold approached them cautiously, making sure neither the boy nor his fair companion saw him. Belle's clear voice floated to him over the sound of the crowd and the ocean below them.

"Where's your mum?" She asked the small chilled and he gazed around as though trying to spot the woman.

"Working but she said to come to the pier after the fireworks… would you like to meet her?" He asked and Belle nodded vigorously.

"I'd love that. Ruby!" She called, turning on the rail to see the brunette break away from her partner to peer at her hazily. Gold's bad feeling grew worse as he recognised the warning signs.

"I'm going to help Henry find his mother, don't go anywhere." Belle said and Ruby nodded, waving her off and returning to her passionate ardour with the man. Belle's lips were curved into a bemused twist as she was escorted through the crowd by the boy he now knew to be Henry until they reached the pier and a tall blonde woman, dressed in police ensemble emerged from the crowd. His teeth immediately ground together as he recognised the fine, upstanding Deputy Swan. The woman had at one point prowled the Upper East area, before the depression, but now she found her work taking her further and further away as corruption moved out of high rise buildings and into central park shanties. Swan smiled when she saw her son Henry but faltered slightly when she saw Belle at his side.

"Hello, Emma Swan. Deputy of NYPD." She said and Belle's eyes flicked momentarily to rest on the loaded holster on the woman's hip, taking in the reality of the situation, before she smiled and shook the other woman's extended hand.

"Belle de Boire, I met Henry down at the fireworks and simply had to meet you… a wonderful gentlemen you've raise Mrs Swan." She said and the woman grinned. Gold did too, ready for what often came next.

"Thank you, and its Miss Swan." Swan said quietly and Gold could see the tension in her shoulders, the defiant raise of her chin that she'd perfected in the egotistical, often chauvinistic world of New York's law enforcement. Belle however was not like most people, who shunned this woman, reviled her for raising her child alone and working a job most believed was better left to men. He was none of those people, but it didn't mean he liked the woman. Apparently Belle was of a similar mind. "I was thinking Emma was enough." She said finally and Emma's shoulders relaxed the merest fraction. Belle then winked at Henry who giggled and tilted his face up to gaze at his mother.

"Doesn't she look like a princess Mum?" She said and Swan nodded. Gold found himself agreeing with the lad. Dressed in her finery and a smile a wide as a Cheshire cat's glued to her face Belle looked like something out of a fairy tale.

"Indeed she does Henry, and what do you do with your time Belle?" Emma asked as the three of them walked back into the gradually depleting crowd. Belle smiled and shrugged. Gold stiffened but remained where he was.

"Cleaning mostly, I work on the Upper East Side." She said and Swan nodded. Odd, most people delighted in informing the upstanding members of the law where they worked and begged to be saved, as if he wasn't bound by his own side of the contracts he created to protect them.

"Used to make my rounds there but the place has cleaned itself up a lot in the past few years, now I'm mostly in the Central Park area." Swan said and Belle twirled her mask around her index finger whimsically.

"All those new residents I suppose." Belle said sardonically and both women grinned before the deputy sighed.

"Yes, hard times make for desperate people." She agreed and they walked on in silence.

"Do you work for a hotel?" Henry asked and Belle paused, obviously trying to find a polite way to explain her current place of occupation.

"Not exactly, I work in a building that has yet to reveal itself fully to me." She said and the boy's interest was clearly peaked. He stepped closer to her and peered up into her unmasked face curiously.

"Really? Is it a mystery?" He asked excitedly and Belle nodded.

"Of a sort, Mr Gold's Palace is a strange place but so far I've been pretty lucky." She said and her eyes flashed wide as she instantly wished she'd never said a word. Gold smiled thinly as Henry gasped and the deputy's eyes hardened. Now Belle would get her taste of medicine. He turned away in disgust, unable to stay and listen to the silly, naive girl he'd hired bear the brunt of social judgement.

"Mr Gold, as in the Mr Gold?" Deputy Swan asked urgently and Belle nodded.

"Yes, he's actually not that bad a person when you get to know him." Belle retorted stiffly. Gold paused, mid limp, and turned to looked back on the trio. The lad Henry looked unconvinced but Gold felt his interest peaked at Belle's defence; far to use to others turning on him or actively seeking to destroy him to miss this opportunity.

"Not according to my book, he's in there and from what I can tell, he'll a dangerous man." The little boy said seriously. Very true, Gold thought, flicking a piece of lint off his jacket. Belle drew herself up with dignity.

"We all make mistakes, and in the end most people rarely, if ever, leave this world in the same state we entered it." She said causing Swan to scowl.

"Look you seem like a nice girl so I'll be straight with you." She said and the three of them stopped in the middle of the street. Belle peered at Deputy Swan warily, arms folded across her chest and her chin set at a defensive angle.

"Gold's a difficult man to describe but the best my teams ever been able to surmise is that he's got an eye on every wall and at least two fingers in every pie… the man is slippery and he preys on those who are desperate enough to make deals with him, without fully understanding their implications." Swan said sternly and Belle sighed deeply. She glanced up at the midnight sky, seemingly praying for patience from the omnipresent cosmos.

"I know Emma; I work for him don't I? I made a deal with him didn't I?" She demanded and the deputy's mouth opened in a small gasp.

"What… what was your agreement?" She asked and Belle shrugged. It really wasn't anyone else's business but reluctantly Belle told them.

"My Papa lost his job… we were about to lose our house and everything worth pawning had been destroyed by the local gang. I met him when I was down on the Board St and he helped us." She said and Swan's gaze suddenly cleared. He recognised the look of someone about to have a revelation and rolled his eyes.

"What was this gang's name?" Swan asked and Belle shuddered.

"The Ogres, nasty bunch of rogues who preyed on my neighbourhood for years." She said and Emma Swan exhaled shortly.

"The Ogres? You'll be glad to know, they're no more." She said and Belle's eyebrows shot straight to her hairline.

"I beg your pardon?" She stuttered and Swan nodded. Her boy was staring up at the women with a worried expression on his face then he turned and scanned the crowd, his eyes moving over Gold so slowly the man thought he'd been spotted.

"We received an anonymous tip, telling us where we could find the hideout of a criminal organisation known as the Ogres. We'd been tailing them for weeks, even had a few undercover operations in place but nothing was working. This tip came like a blessing and the next night we rounded the whole lot of them up, in a dockside warehouse stacked high with illegal firearms, unmarked bills and stolen goods." She muttered and Gold smirked at the memory, it was amazing what a little blackmail, solid information and a single phone call could do these days.

"So they're gone, for good." Belle said and Swan nodded briskly.

"It was an all members meeting, the only one they hold. It occurs every five years so this tip was like nothing we'd ever gotten before. We tried to find the tipper but he vanished as though he never existed but now it seems we know who it was and even why." She said and Belle clasped the woman's arm earnestly.

"You mustn't tell anyone, please." She begged and Emma eyes softened. Gold watched them with distant amusement, unable to feel cross with Belle for giving him away to New York's finest.

"Of course I won't, if they didn't reveal themselves we cannot legally name them." She said and Belle sighed with relief. They continued walking and eventually reached the place where Belle had left Ruby. The only problem was that Ruby was nowhere to be seen. She bent down to meet Henry's eyes and extended her hand. He looked at it and then grasped it firmly, his brown eyes lighting up eagerly. There were obviously no hard feelings there.

"Thanks for being the best New Year's partner ever." She said and he bowed theatrically. She laughed and ruffled his hair again.

"It was a pleasure to meet you as well Emma, I do hope we see each other again." Belle continued honestly as she stood, holding out her hand to end the unease they were all still experiencing. Swan nodded and they shook hands.

"If you have any problems, with Gold or anyone, give me a call and I'll be around faster than you can say." She promised and Belle looked a little dazed. She walked off and Gold moved through the crowd after her. When neither could find Ruby, who would of course be hearing from Gold at the earliest of conveniences, Belle seemed to have a debate on what to do next.

"Don't walk." He begged and groaned as she set off towards the north, her yellow gown glimmering like a candle's flame in the dark. Gold felt his gut twist, the bad feeling he'd been experiencing all evening becoming steadily more prominent with each step they took. His knee was aching like nothing he'd ever felt before and he knew he'd have to get off it soon or face consequences later on. Stubbornly he followed Belle, ducking behind people whenever she turned to stare around herself, obviously uneasy at being alone. First right thing she'd felt or done all evening in his opinion. Suddenly she hoisted the skirt of her dress and began to run. Gold rolled his eyes and continued along at his own pace, unable to follow at speed but still able to pursue. Belle disappeared into the dark and Gold limped after her, cursing not for the first time his age and disabilities. Ruby would be answering for a lot in the morning… As he walked through early morning New York Gold couldn't help but compare the concrete jungle to the rolling hills of Scotland, the moors he had climbed as a wee lad. This placed was filthy, it stank of human misery and no matter how hard one tried it was impossible to keep a conscious clean. Morals were not a currency tendered in New York City, it was a valuable lesson he'd learnt within his first few days of living here. Perhaps he was what this city had made him, he did remember a time when his world had not been overrun with criminals, he'd had a decent and respectable trade and he wasn't living here in America, the supposed new world of opportunities. But that had been a long time ago, before the war, before… he shook his head, unwilling to dwell on that particular loss. Up ahead his ear picked up the sound of rapid movement. He picked up his pace, despite the growing fatigue in his knee. Belle's voice echoed in the still nigh air and he froze at the tight, fearful timbre it had taken on.

"That's quite enough, sir." She was saying and Gold's blood ran cold when a man chuckled.

"It speaks, the mouse speaks. Perhaps later, when the mouse has learnt, she'll know better than to speak." He said and his words were slurred with liquor. Gold hurried forward as Belle stepped out from around a corner. Her back was straight, her gaze defiant as she stared up at the towering figure before her.

"You stay away from me." She ordered as forcefully as she could but Gold and her assailant found her voice nothing more than a sorry trembling whisper. Plainly she was terrified but even at that moment she refused to cower. The man's laugh was like a dark wind slithering over leaves and Belle shuddered.

"Stay back!" She cried and he suddenly launched himself at her, grasping her brutally around her wrists and dragging her forwards. She screamed and struggled violently, desperately trying to wrench her limbs from his grasp. It was to no avail. He simply clung tighter, his grip becoming like steel around her slim wrists until she buckled at the pain and crumbled to the ground with a gasp of pain.

"There mouse, that's where you belong. On your knees for me. Now you will use that mouth for its proper purpose." He said and Gold felt his stomach twist with both disgust and fury unlike anything he'd ever known. How dare this man touch his Belle? Threaten to do something as repulsive as that to her. They were on the other side of the street and Gold crossed it as fast as he could, his ears wringing with Belle's tortured screams.

"No!" She cried and he flinched as the man's fist collided with the side of her face, sending her reeling to the floor without another sound. Her dress glowed in the half-light of the alley and she was obviously dazed and unable to think straight. Gold stumbled, his leg lurching as it finally gave out beneath his frantic pace. In the distance he saw the man, bent over Belle, enormous hands tearing at the fabric of her dress. Using what little strength she still had Belle groaned and rolled away, crawling backwards on her elbows and bring her knees up defensively. She heard him exhale in pain and another blow landed on her stomach completely winding her and leaving her without ability to move again. Gold picked himself up of the ground and staggered towards the alley.

"No, no, no, no, no." Was all she could say as he loomed over her, his eyes glowing like demented black coals in the darkened alley. She tried to be brave, to remember what it felt like to be brave, as his hands pawed at her breasts, her face and her thighs, slipping between them and wrenching them apart. Gold reacted on pure instinct.

"NO!" He bellowed and the man above Belle stopped mechanically. Belle herself seemed stunned and her tear stained face tilted to stare around at him. Both took the momentary pause to their advantage, she bringing her knees up one last time and thrusting out at her assailant and he moved forward with his cane clutched wickedly in his hand. In moments he was upon the attacker and he hefted his cane briefly before bringing it down on the side of the man's head with sickening accuracy. Raw, unadultered rage flowed through his veins, making his breath come heavily and his vision clouded over with red fog. The sound of wood whistling through the air and colliding with living flesh was delightful to him now. The shadowy giant toppled with a cry and Gold stood over him, bringing the cane down on him again and again, reaching as much of him as was inhumanly possible. Hard, lacquered wood met head, hands, back and stomach. Gold was vicious, entirely without mercy as he meted out blows as hard and as fast as he was physically able. The pain in his knee was gone; indeed everything inside him was numbed except for the dizzying enjoyment at hurting the man who'd harmed Belle. The pitiful sounds coming from her would-be assailant were at first howls of pain, then sobs and pleads for mercy which he ignored as gleefully and finally awful ringing silence. When that silence came the bloodlust ended almost as suddenly as it came and Gold staggered back, clutching the blood soaked cane to him as a soft groan from behind him made him turn. Belle was passed out on the grimy concrete, her beautiful dress and hair a wild mess of blood and dirt. Gold threw himself down beside her and cradled her head on his lap, smoothing her russet curls away from her face which was already bruising around her right eye.

"Belle! Belle please, wake up!" He whispered and stroked her cheek gently. She groaned and shifted, her eyelids flickering open as she gazed around herself. Her lips curved into a sweet smile and she met his worried eyes with her own cerulean ones.

"Mr Gold? You followed me?" She asked and he snorted, tucking a stray tangled curl behind her ear.

"Of course, you didn't think I trusted Ruby Lucas to take care of you after a staggering amount of Midnight Cherries did you?" He asked and tapped her nose teasingly. She laughed and then groaned; her battered body letting her know that it was still in need of aid.

"Can you stand?" He asked stiffly, hating the fact that with his leg as it was, he was unable able to carry her back to the Palace. Belle however, nodded looking almost relieved at the prospect.

"I need to and I don't think anything is broken." She said and he nodded, helping her to rise shakily to her feet.

"Come on Belle-of-mine." He said gently and, taking as much of her weight onto his shoulders as he could, limped the rest of the way back to the Palace. They arrived home after about ten minutes of solid limping and by that time neither was in very good condition. Belle looked ready to pass out again and Gold knew his knee had mere moments before it gave out once more, sure that this time it would not recover sufficiently to help Belle inside.

"Come on Belle, a little further." He whispered and they made their way into the atrium, stumbling to the elevator and pressing the third floor button. When they arrived he guiding the now half-conscious Belle down the corridor and into his office, setting her down on the settee he often used for sleeping when he stayed up too late working and couldn't be bothered to go to his own bedroom. The moon was shining through the window that Belle had revealed earlier that day and by its light he was able to carefully place her down on the settee. He flinched at the sight of so much winter pale flesh on view, hurriedly pulling the delicate scraps of her dress over it to return to her some of her modesty. Pivoting awkwardly on his throbbing knee, he limping heavily to the door. He threw open the passageway to the kitchens, knowing the Widow Lucas would still be about, and bellowed down into the dark. In moments she was huffing up them and he snarled at her when she glared at him reproachfully.

"What do you want?" She asked warily and he threw his head towards his office. She followed him and her shocked gasp echoed through the room when she spotted Belle on the settee.

"What happened?" she asked and Gold growled.

"She was attacked, not far from here." He replied curtly and she bit her lip. She rushed over and felt the girl's limbs, checking her pulse and for broken bones. Gold hung back and slid into the chair by the dying fire. The settee was dragged towards it, the grumpy widow ordering him to relight the grate and keep the girl warm. With a groan he complied, settling himself down beside the mantel and restarting the flickering embers. Lucas disappeared briefly, leaving him and Belle alone in the room and Gold jumped when a soft hand landed on his shoulder. He whirled to face Belle who was struggling to stay awake. She opened her mouth but he put his finger to her pretty, pink lips.

"Shhh, it's okay to sleep Belle." He told her and she whimpered slightly.

"I'm sorry." She said and he stroked her cheek gently, smoothing away the single tear that streamed from the corner of her gradually darkening right eye.

"Don't you ever say that Belle, not ever." He commanded and she nodded dazedly. Gold sighed and used his thumbs to gently close her eyelids. Widow Lucas coughed politely from the door and he waved her over. She crouched beside him and began to bathe Belle's grime-covered, bloody face and neck.

"You have to leave, she's been through enough without you seeing her naked." The older woman said and Gold tentatively got to his feet. He drew his still blood soaked cane to him and walked to the door. At the door he was stopped by the woman's voice.

"What about him?" She asked and Gold looked back at her, his lips twisting into a wicked smile that made the woman shudder.

"He is no longer a problem." He said finally and turned on his heel, stalking out of the room.

**Ohhhh slightly evil Gold at the end there, channelling the awesomeness that is his neuroticism. Please review and tell me what you liked or (sobs) didn't like. Love to all!**


	6. Chapter 6

Six:

**Well now, I simply couldn't let another day go by without giving you another little titbit of my imagination. I really liked this chapter, it was a challenge but I hope you all like it. Thanks abound to everyone who has thus far reviewed my story, every single one is noted and believe me when I say that it is the combined efforts of you all that make it possible for me to continue with this fic. Now, enough of this, on with the chapter. **

"_Belle? Belle, it's time to wake up darling." The familiar, gentle voice made Belle turn in a tight circle and laugh joyously as her mother's beautiful, unravaged face appeared out of the swirling golden mist around her, shortly followed by the rest of her. She was dressed in a sensible, blue muslin dress that Belle remembered her wearing when she was a small girl with her old, flour-covered apron over the top. Her thin arms opened and Belle flung herself into the strong embrace she had missed so much over the past year. For a moment it was as if none of it had happened, as if life was suddenly all right way up. Her Mumma smelled strongly of roses. Belle realised how much she'd missed that scent, all the perfume in the house had been the first to be sold to pay rent and she'd made her own out of the wild violets that sometimes grew by the door of their house during spring. She didn't mind violets, they were still flowers after all, but roses had always been her favourites, her mother's too she remembered now. Straight, amber hair fell like a silken waterfall down her mother's back and Belle felt tears begin to fall as clasped her Mumma tightly to her, burying her face into her neck._

"_Why Mumma? I like it here... with you." Belle murmured childishly into her mother's shoulder causing Lucinda de Boire to chuckle and pull away from her daughter, tapping her teasingly on her nose. Belle smiled and hugged her close once more._

"_I've missed you so much Mumma." She murmured and Lucinda kissed her softly on the top of her head._

"_So have I my little Belle, more than I can ever say." She said and Belle felt more tears begin to flow down her cheeks. _

"_Why did you have to go?" She demanded and Lucinda sighed, drawing Belle's hand in hers and leading her through the golden mist. A beautiful rose garden materialised out of the fog, the petals of all its blooms as red as blood. Belle gasped and stared around in wonder, sitting down next to her mother on a small wooden seat beside a cool marble fountain. _

"_I had to go Belle-amie, I was sick… just too sick to stay. You were so young and I was so worried you'd lose that beautiful spirit that made you so special but I couldn't stay." Her mother said sadly and Belle clasped her mother's warm hand to her cheek._

"_I know Mumma, I was being unfair." She said and Lucinda shook her head. She cupped Belle's chin and smiled through her own tears._

"_You've been so brave Belle, but I need you to do something even braver for me." She said softly and Belle nodded. _

"_Anything." She promised firmly, sitting up straight as Lucinda smiled. _

"_Wake up." Her Mumma said and Belle frowned. _

"_I beg your pardon?" She asked and Lucinda held out a hand to the garden around them. _

"_This is not where you belong Belle, not yet anyway… you still have a job to do and unless you go back, you won't be allowed to enter this place again." Mumma murmured and Belle gasped. _

"_Never?" She repeated and her Mumma shook her head. _

"_You have to wake up, go back to that world." Lucinda said and Belle bit her lip, twisting her fingers into tight knots in her lap._

"_But what about you?" Belle choked out and her dear Mumma leaned forward to take her hands again, pressing kisses to the knuckles and stroking a stray tendril of her russet hair behind Belle's ear._

"_I will always be with you and when you come back, I'll still be here." She said and Belle sighed. _

"_I'm afraid Mumma." She said and Lucinda clucked. _

"_Of what? I have never known you to fear anything Belle… you were too sensible for such nonsense." She remarked and Belle swallowed. _

"_I made a deal, for Papa, and the man I made it with he…" She paused and Lucinda smiled. _

"_This man… you like him?" Her Mumma asked and Belle nodded._

"_He's been kind to me, he's not at all what people make him out to be… oh Mumma they say such things about him but I know he could be so much more." She said fiercely and Lucinda patted her daughter's hand cheerfully. _

"_One of the things I always loved about you Belle, was your ability to see past the exteriors of people, to see what others always overlooked. You had this unnerving sense about those around you, always so kind and non-judgemental towards even men or women I spurned." She said and held Belle gaze directly._

"_This man, Gold, he is not a good man but he is not an evil one either. He is broken, in more ways than you are probably aware but it will be up to you both on how you go about fixing it. Belle, I love you so very much." Her mother's voice had become urgent towards the end and Belle had the queerest sensation, as though they were under water and her mother was trying to speak through it. She began to panic, not wanting to leave this wondrous dream._

"_Mumma!" She called and felt the world around them disperse until all she could feel was her mother's hands on mist pressed in all around her and she felt tears begin to fall again. _

"_I want you to know, always Belle, that I love you with all my heart." Lucinda said and Belle felt her kiss her cheek softly, the merest touch of butterfly wings against her skin. _

"_I love you too Mumma." She whispered, close to tears at this point. _

"_Remember, you will need to be the brave one here. He is not as strong as you, whatever he tries to say, and he will run before he takes a chance that might hurt him… be good." These last words were spoken in the tone of a mother, reminding her child to behave, as though Belle were once again five and running out to play in the garden. Belle smiled as her mother's presence faded and the mist darkened. _

"_Belle!" The voice was faint but Belle knew it came from somewhere close by. She stretched towards it, moving through the dull, frigid fog towards the pin prick of light ahead._

"_Belle!" The voice was louder now and Belle strained to the very end of her strength…_

OoOoOoO

Someone moved around her but Belle couldn't open her eyes to see who. Her lids seemed to be glued tightly together and her limbs refused to obey even the slightest of commands. She panicked and a small whimper broke free from her lips. In an instant she felt a gentle hand on her cheek and a heavily accented voice whispered hoarsely in her ear.

"Belle, dearie? Where does it hurt?" She moaned and slowly, so very slowly, cracked her eyelids the slightest degree to peer into the face of her Mr Gold. She smiled softly and winced as the muscles around her right eye and cheek pinched.

"Belle…" Her name was almost whispered and she closed her eyes.

"No! Belle try to stay awake for me, I need you to stay awake for just a wee while longer." Gold pleaded and she struggled with the overwhelming fatigue that had settled over her like a thick, woollen blanket. She would try; she would try to stay awake for him. She reopened her eyes and he sighed with relief. She coughed, her throat rasping like dried timber.

"Water." She croaked and he turned away, returning presently with a glass filled with delicious looking water.

"Now I know you like doing things yourself dearie but let me help you this one time." He said and she scowled slightly as he slipped an arm beneath her shoulders, raising her from whatever surface she lay upon. She hissed as her ribs twinged, remembering the blow she'd received with a small wince. He chuckled at her disgruntlement and held the glass to her lips. She glared up at him but opened her lips obediently, unable to bear the terrible thirst. She tried to drink as much as possible, aching to finish but he stopped her.

"If you drink too much you'll be sick and you've already been ill." He said and she finally looked around to see she was lying on an intricately carved settee in his office, right beside the fire which was crackling merrily in its grate.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry." She said and struggled to sit up. He pushed her down easily and glared at her.

"You will not move from that spot Belle, Mrs Lucas has given me specific instruction that you are to remain here until further notice." He said and Belle stared at him for a long moment.

"And you listened to her? I'd best pack a jacket, I think Hell just froze over." She exclaimed incredulously, smiling slightly when he scowled blackly at her. Then, something tickled her mind.

"Calico!" She exclaimed and Gold gawped at her as though she'd suddenly begun to swear in fluent Italian.

"My robin… I have to…" She trailed off as he grinned slowly. He glanced towards the desk and sniggered. Belle followed his gaze and saw the robin himself, perched proudly on the back of Gold's impressive chair with his head tilted quizzically towards her. She smiled and a soft laugh escaped her as she puckered her lips towards the robin in a small kiss. Calico chirped cheerfully and hopped awkwardly down onto the desk. Her eyelids drooped and she suddenly felt bone tired. Slumping back onto the settee she gazed up at Gold and clutched at his sleeve tightly.

"I… Mr Gold I need to, I have to get…" She stuttered and he quirked a sardonic brow at her. Her protest dried and she looked down.

"Sleep please Belle, you've been far too unwell." He said mildly and she smirked.

"That atrium must be filthy by now." She muttered as she closed her eyes and let her exhaustion collapse over her. She smiled as he chuckled and moved away. She gasped and clutched at his hand, unwilling to be alone.

"Please don't go." She said, hating how weak she sounded.

"I'm not going anywhere dearie, now go to sleep." He ordered and she nodded, sighing peacefully and asleep in mere moments.

OoOoOoO

She sat up with a gasp, unable to rid herself of the ghostly hands on her hips, on her breasts and even in the most secret recesses of her body, the place only she and her future husband should be allowed to touch. Sickened to her very core she hunched over the side of the settee, dry wrenching violently and powerless to stop it until, weak and furious, she slumped back into her make-shift bed. She felt the hot, angry tears fall and buried her face into her hands, wracked with sobs. A lamp was lit suddenly and she inhaled sharply.

"S-sorry sir." She murmured unable to meet Gold's eye as he approached her and cautiously knelt by her side.

"Are you alright?" He asked and she nodded stiffly, refusing to look in his direction for fear of seeing his pity, or worse, his disgust. If he despised her weakness she wouldn't be able to stand it.

"Dearie, do you want to talk about it?" He asked and again she shook her head.

"No I'm fine, it was just a bad dream… he can't hurt me now, can he?" She asked and he snickered darkly.

"No dearie, no he cannot." She looked up at him then and saw his eyes were no longer the gentle brown she'd come to like but the pitch black that terrified her. She realised her dream had been right, he was not a good man.

"Mr Gold, what happened?" She asked and he flinched slightly.

"I remember the alley, I remember… him but how were you there, what happened to him?" She demanded and he rolled his eyes, moving to sit in the arm chair nearby as he toyed with the top of his walking stick. He glared morosely into the flames and in their flickering half-light he looked every bit the dangerous, hardened criminal Emma had tried to tell her about.

"I dealt with him dearie. You need not fear him any longer." He muttered murderously and Belle straightened her shoulders to fix him with a firm glare of her own.

"In what capacity? Is it usual to beat men to death with walking sticks or do you enjoy it?" She asked him furiously and he arched a brow at her wickedly.

"Do you think I should have let him go?" Gold asked softly, confirming her fears that the man in question was dead. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the confirmation and instead stared at her unpredictable employer warily. He eyed his cane bemusedly, seemingly comfortable with the knowledge of his exploits out in the open.

"I don't know sir but I do know it wasn't your right to take someone else's life like that." She said boldly and swallowed as he turned those liquid pools of onyx upon her. She lifted her chin.

"He was going to rape you; you know that dearie, don't you?" He asked bluntly and she frowned, drawing the blanket up over her hips as she slowly eased herself into a seated position. She realised she was in nothing but her cotton shift and blushed vividly. The worn cotton was so thin in places it was barely worth wearing. Clearing her throat she looked him dead in the eye and spoke as steadily as she could.

"What could have happened far outweighs what actually happened. I thank you, a thousand times over, for saving me but death is not something you should deal out like it's nothing." At this he simply shrugged and the ugly look on his face made her want to cry all over again. Screwing what was left of her nerve together she continued.

"He was drunk, he probably didn't realise what he was doing and considering he attacked me only a few blocks away from here… it was just unlucky it happened at all." Belle said stubbornly and his breath left him in a sudden hiss.

"So forgiving, it makes me wonder Belle, it truly does. So what if he was drunk? He is one less rat-bastard rapist this wretched world no longer has to deal with… I feel almost saintly for doing it a favour." Gold mused idly and Belle growled with frustration.

"Is nothing I'm saying to you making it through your thick skull?" She shouted and he jumped slightly at her raised voice. The blackness in his gaze faded slightly to brown before reverting back to its ominous shade, making him sneer. She returned it.

"How can you sit there and live with the fact that you killed a man? If anyone has the right to hate him it's me, not you, me… and I don't, not really." She said and he stuttered slightly. She held up her hand to stop him and continued breathlessly.

"I was terrified, I won't lie. I thought all the worst things in the world were going to happen to me and they very nearly did but you didn't let them, you stopped him and that should have been enough… not this, never this." She said and suddenly her terror, all the pent up terror from her dream poured forth and she wept bitterly into her hands, ashamed at herself but entirely at their mercy.

"Belle, please stop." Gold whispered and she looked up to see his eyes were once again their normal colour, the tempest had passed and she was once again in the presence of her beloved Gold. He knelt beside her. She could see what it cost him to do so, his bad knee was shaking slightly and he winced as he moved closer. She watched as his hand came up to smooth away the streaming tears that glistened on her cheeks. She couldn't help but brace for the hurt, but to her surprise it never came. His fingers were so gentle on her abused skin that she neither flinched nor felt afraid. As he soothed her she flung herself forward into his arms and buried her face into his shoulder, finally allowing herself to cry properly. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't quiet but she needed it and he let her. His arms came around her and he simply held her, stroking her back softly and whispering faintly into her ear words from a language she didn't understand.

"What is that?" She asked him and he chuckled.

"Gaelic I suppose, I haven't spoken it for almost a decade but apparently I can still spin a phrase or two." He said and she smiled into his neck. His arms felt so right about her that she could have fallen asleep right there.

"How long was I out? I surprised this place isn't a dusty ruin without me." She asked and he laughed before he sighed heavily, pulling away from her and making her feel all the more bereft. Gold stared at the ceiling then into her eyes.

"You slept for an entire day." He said calmly and she nodded. It wasn't so bad then.

"Then you broke out into a fever… you were in shock and you needed time to adjust to what almost happened to you. Mrs Lucas hardly left your side for three days and when finally your fever broke, you just wouldn't wake." At this she felt her heart clench. She stared at her hands and bit her lip.

"How is Ruby? And Mary Margret and Ashley?" She asked, worried for her friends, and Gold snarled slightly.

"Extremely lucky I didn't throw them out on their skinny asses for leaving you alone." He muttered and she glared at him. He rolled his eyes callously and tried his best to look contrite. It looked rather painful.

"Downstairs. Ashley's been given specified cleaning privileges. Mary Margret, since I have a contract with her outlining an extended period of protection, is confined to this building until such time as I see fit to release her and Ruby…" He paused and Belle gripped his collar tightly, pulling back to meet his gaze directly.

"Don't you dare hurt her for what happened!" She growled fiercely and he grinned.

"Dearie what kind of a man would I be if I didn't enjoy a little play with my property?" He asked maliciously and Belle's eyes narrowed sharply.

"What did you do?" She demanded and Gold shook his head, waving his hand idly.

"Not worth troubling yourself dearie, you're already having enough nightmares." He said and she opened her mouth to say something before she realised his tone was no longer teasing. She stared at him and notched her chin slightly.

"Is she…"

"The Lucas girl is fine but she now knows what happens when she breaks her promises to me." He said and Belle weighed everything up silently. It was as good a confession as she was probably going to get and so she took it, letting the moment pass as she glanced around the lowly lit room.

"How are you?" She asked and he gazed at her in astonishment.

"Fine dearie, it's you we've all been worried about." He said and she smiled thinly.

"You don't look it... in fact you look awful." She remarked tauntly and he frowned. He opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted mid-thought as the door flew open and a harried-looking Ruby entered, carrying a familiar tea tray and trembling ever so slightly. She stopped dead at the sight of them and a slow smile stretched across her pretty face. Belle laughed and threw her arms wide.

"Ruby!" She exclaimed and the other woman almost hurled the silver tray in her hands to the floor in her haste to reach her. Gold moved back as the two women embraced and Belle glanced over her friend carefully, checking her for signs that she'd been hurt. Apart from being of paler skin tone than usual and looking as though Gold might grow teeth and attack her Ruby seemed her usual self. She carefully lowered her burden onto the table and paused to stare at Belle, her bottom lip tearing itself apart under her gentle gnawing.

"Mr Gold, may I talk to Ruby alone please?" Belle asked the silent man who nodded irritably and vanished through the door, his cane thumping rhythmically on the hardwood floor.

"Belle I'm so so-"

"Don't you dare!" Belle told the distraught woman firmly and reached out to grasp her hands tightly. Drawing Ruby down onto the settee Belle stroked the back of her friend's knuckles gently.

"This was not your fault Ruby, I need you to know that right now." Belle told her harshly and watched in horror as she began to cry.

"You could have been killed Belle. I was supposed to be taking care of you, I gave my word I'd take care of you." Ruby said through her tears and Belle shushed her.

"That's quite enough of that… I'm the only one with any right to tears right now and they never, so long as man has cried, helped a situation get any better." Belle told her but still Ruby's dark brown eyes overflowed with jewel-like tears.

"I should have been there, he would never have… oh god Belle I'm so sorry!" She said and Belle pulled her in for yet another death-grip embrace. Her own eyes were no longer dry and for many minutes they simply held onto one another, Ruby simply unable to stop crying. Finally Belle broke away and rubbed at her burning eyes.

"I'm so done with this crying business… it's just so exhausting." She said and Ruby screwed up her nose.

"That's the fever, you were under for four days… Granny's never seen someone so small make such a fuss." She said and Belle frowned.

"Oh it was nothing you did." Ruby clarified quickly and Belle stared at her curiously, unable to comprehend her meaning.

"Gold Belle, you should have seen him… he hasn't been that bad in weeks. He forced Ash to clean every surface on the bottom two floors at least three times over and I think I've seen Mary Margret about twice in the last week." Ruby said and Belle coughed.

"What about you?" She asked and Ruby stiffened.

"I deserved everything he dealt me and more." She muttered and Belle scowled darkly.

"That's complete and utter mouse manure and you know it." Belle remonstrated fiercely, slapping Ruby's shoulder lightly and forcing the girl to look at her.

"Ruby, what did he do?" She demanded but Ruby shook her head. Standing the brunette poured Belle a strong smelling cup of tea and handed it to her. Belle sipped it and fought to control her features, unsatisfied with its bitter taste. So as not to hurt the woman's feelings she took another small sip before replacing it carefully and holding out her hand. Ruby grasped it and Belle smiled up at her best friend.

"I'll let this go Ruby, if that's what you really want but just know that you are not to blame for what happened to me and what's done is done, you can't change it." Belle told her sternly and Ruby nodded, still unconvinced but glad Belle had let the matter drop. She called out to Gold who limped back into the room and indicated curtly for Ruby to leave. The woman trembled and nodded, scampering from the office as though a demon had set fire to her beautiful hair. Belle scowled at Gold who simply picked up her tea and chucked it into the fire. Belle sat up, outraged.

"I was drinking that!" She protested and he sniggered.

"You were not. The lass can mix a decent Canadian Sunrise in three seconds flat but, as fate would decree it, entirely useless when it comes to tea." He said and carefully refilled her cup, steeping it in just the right way and adding just the right amount of sugar. This time when Belle sipped, it was liquid ambrosia running down her throat. She took another three or four sips before a dull, dreariness settled over her brain like morning fog. Her eyes closed blissfully and she felt incredibly tired. Suddenly she glared at Gold as she realised what he had done. The man in question simply shrugged, replacing the cork on an unmarked bottle she hadn't noticed in his hand, before sliding it back up his sleeve.

"What did you…?" She murmured and fell back against the pillows. He caught her and coaxed her back until she was once again lying down completely. He sighed and stroked her hair mildly.

"Dearie, you would have tried to get up next. Now that injustice has reared its ugly head you would have felt compelled to rid Ashley of her duties, rescue Mary Margret from her imprisonment and discover exactly what it was I did to Ruby Lucas… all before you are ready to even lift the latch of that bloody door." He told her roughly and she tried to open her mouth to berate him but found she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Sleep Belle, please." He murmured and she was too drowsy to argue. Her eyes closed and she drifted off into sleep before another word could be spoken.

OoOoOoO

Regina was beginning to really love her job. Being the sole ruler of an urban empire made you privy to all sorts of information, most of it boring but some of it more valuable than the King's Treasury. A missive arrived from one of her contacts in the Upper East Area, with news that a certain boy-wonder was sure to want to know.

"Bring the man Gaston here at once!" She called to her guardsmen who bowed and exited the room, returning moments later with the snappish fop who leered at her from across the room. His hair was ruffled, his eyes bleared with arousal and, disgustingly enough, he was still in the process of re-buttoning his pants. She rolled her eyes and beckoned him forwards. He swaggered towards her and settled himself in one of the black lacquered seats by her desk.

"You wanted to know if I could find your precious Belle?" Regina asked and Gaston nodded, hands buried nonchalantly inside his pockets.

"Indeed, how is the old girl?" He asked and Regina sneered.

"Not well apparently. The poor dear got herself into a spot of trouble on New Year's Eve, nearly died… if my sources are correct, which they always are." She said and flicked a piece of invisible lint from her black suede sleeve. Gaston stared at her uncomprehendingly.

"That fiend!" He shouted and Regina smirked, unwilling to let the drama end for the sake of honesty, which she'd always found to be a rather useless character trait. Instead she nodded serenely and placed the tips of her fingers together as she leaned towards him over the table.

"The poor thing will probably never be the same, rape can be such a terrible thing… especially when those you thought were supposed to protect you fail in their duties." She remarked dryly and delighted in the way Gaston's face darkened. He threw himself out of the chair, which clattered to the floor with a deafening crash. Regina smiled at the man who began to curse furiously.

"I rend him limb from limb. I'll destroy anything and everything he's ever so much as cared about and when I'm done, oh when I'm done…" Gaston broke off as she coughed pointedly. He stared at her, abashed, before falling silent.

"Fool! We must be patient and strike when Gold is least expecting us, when he is most vulnerable. The girl will be the key and soon, very soon, we will have a chance to snare her." Regina whispered and Gaston nodded, earnestly picking up the fallen chair and resettling himself into it.

"How?" Gaston asked and Regina smiled.

"I simply love telephones, such marvellous inventions." She cooed and traced the shiny black cradle on her desk lovingly.

"These days so much can be achieved by simply picking up the phone and making a few calculated calls… a certain police officer here, a sick Papa there. My dear man pieces of a puzzle always seem a mess right up until the end but once you have them all in place, you wonder how you ever thought them confusing." She continued and picked up the phone. She shooed Gaston out and turned away in her chair to gaze out of the window. Dialling quickly she covered the mouth end of the phone with a silk scarf and waited until it clicked.

"NYPD, this is Deputy Swan speaking."

"Yes, I'd like to make a complaint." Regina said timidly and the woman on the other end sighed.

"Ma'am, I'm not the person…"

"I saw you and that girl together on New Year's, the one in yellow… I think she may be in trouble." Regina said quickly and instantly Swan's tone changed.

"Belle? What about her?" She asked and Regina suppressed her chuckle. She coughed instead and whispered into the phone.

"I saw her being… attacked, just a few blocks away from that brothel place. Some man with a cane, I didn't see him very well but he either aided her or hurt her, it was so dark, but the next morning I returned and there was blood on the pavement... and a scrap of yellow. Oh please you have to help!" She squeaked and Swan became immediately suspicious.

"Why now? Why not contact us immediately?" She asked and Regina gasped.

"It's hard enough telling you now, I don't know who could be watching me right now… oh please I have to go." She said and Swan stopped her.

"Where?" She asked and Regina sighed, as though desperate to leave.

"Please, ma'am." Swan pleaded and Regina relented, telling her the place where her contact swore the incident had taken place. She hung up rapidly before redialling another number. This time she had to connect with a telephone operator and sighed at the woman's simpering voice.

"Bronx Post Office." She ordered and was soon patched through. A moment later a wheezy man answered and Regina quickly gave him her rehearsed message.

"This is a message of Maurice de Boire. Tell him that his daughter has been hurt and the police are involved." She said and the man stuttered.

"Now! And don't forget to tell him that the man Gaston nearly apprehended the villain and will continue his rescue mission till its completion." She said and hung up. Now she had to hope that small suburb gossip would travel fast and that rumour would add to rumour. Oh yes, Regina Mills was beginning to love her job, love it very much indeed.

OoOoOoO

When next Gold walked into his office he found himself swearing violently under his breath. Despite the amount of laudanum he'd administered to Belle the night before, the stubborn woman had awoken and not only that but managed to get up off the settee and walk to his desk. She was bent over it, her back to him, and he felt his instinctive paranoia kick in as his visioned narrowed on the slim-waisted girl before him. His anger mounted and he rapped his cane against the door jamb loudly.

"What the devil do you think you are you doing?" He demanded harshly and Belle turned to face him with a gasp.

"I'm cleaning." She replied drowsily and sure enough she held a piece of dampened cloth in her hand which she'd apparently been rubbing over the smooth mahogany surface. As he approached she stumbled back and almost fell, gripping the edge of the desk as her drug-addled brain tried to keep her upright. He scowled and escorted her roughly back towards the settee.

"What in god's name possessed you to get up? You're supposed to be sleeping." He admonished and she stared up at him in confusion.

"But I'm cleaning." Belle repeated dully and Gold felt the last traces of panic slip from his mind. The lass was obviously so out of balance it was clear she didn't even know what was going on. Sheepishly he handing her a cup of tea. She stared at it for a moment before sipping it obediently, her azure eyes wide with inhabited trust. There was still a myriad of bruises around her right eye, her rose pink lips were slightly swollen and it was obvious that despite the pain killers Granny had administered she was having difficulties breathing. Her russet hair, glinting with its hidden golds and browns, resembled the nest of river herons yet somehow, he mused quietly, she had never looked more beautiful. The gaze she bestowed upon him was open and calm, her mouth curved into a sweet smile and she sighed happily as she drank her tea, holding it like a nun did communion wine. This total trust in him, this absolute faith, was a far cry from the usual expressions he received from those around him. Typically, he could barely walk into any of the offices down town without identical looks of fear, panic or both flittering across the faces of those whose jobs had not yet been destroyed in the crash. Yet this wee girl Belle de Boire, whose desperation he played upon like a veteran composer did operatic scores, held such a quiet confidence in him it was as if the gods themselves had suddenly thrown him a life line. In this state he realised she was incredibly vulnerable. She was at his mercy, relied solely on his good will alone. Entirely without… what the hell was he even thinking? Here was his Belle, recovering from an event that usually traumatised most people into catatonic states and drugged up on enough laudanum to kill a cat yet here he stood contemplating such things. He was a monster, pure and simple. For heaven's sake he was 45 years old and she, barely out on the cusp of womanhood. Disgusted at himself he turned away, his mood irrevocably ruined. He stalked to the desk and threw himself into the chair behind it; thumbing through the files he'd been working on the day before and keeping his perverted eyes off the half-dressed Belle in the corner.

"Mr Gold?" He nodded tersely.

"Have I done something wrong?" Belle asked and his head snapped up before he could stop it.

"What?" He shouted and she flinched, drawing the blanket she'd been sheltering under for the past five days closer around her shoulders.

"I… I didn't mean to upset you, I just wanted to make you happy. You don't take care of yourself and you've been so kind to me, I just wanted to make you happy." She said, her voice almost childlike in tone as she gazed at him tremulously, her cerulean blue eyes filling slightly with tears. In that moment Gold knew hell itself would be too much of a paradise for his grotesque, inhuman soul.

"Come here Belle." He ordered softly and she stumbled to her feet. The blanket dragged like a child's cape behind her and she moved to stand before him, hands twisting its edge nervously. He beckoned her closer and then she did something that he hadn't expected, or even thought possible. She threw herself into his chest and hugged him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her head sank into his chest as she drew her knees up, settling herself into his lap like the little girl she still was. Stunned he remained rigid.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and her voice was like cold water, snapping him out of his frozen state.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Belle, nothing at all." He said and brought his arms around her, drawing her close to his chest until all he could see, feel and smell was Belle. She snuggled into him and sighed, the front of his shirt felt damper and he realised she was crying.

"Shit." He whispered and she frowned up at him. Tapping his nose unhappily she pursed her lips distastefully.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to swear?" She berated quietly and he chuckled.

"I can't recall, dearie. It could well have been in between the time she cursed the ears off our sheep when she went into labour for the third time in the middle of a field and when she informed my father that he could take his lying, cheating carcass off her property before she robbed him of the physical evidence that made him a man." He told her cheerfully and she gave a watery chuckle.

"Sounds like my Gran-mere." She murmured and he straightened slightly.

"Oh?" He pressed and she shrugged.

"A fouler tempered woman never breathed, except when she was knitting… nothing my Mumma ever did was good enough for her, and she swore something dreadful, part of the reason I can never bring myself to do it." She informed him seriously before a slow smile spread across her cheeks.

"I can swear vividly in English and French though." She said and he laughed, tapping her cheekily on her nose. She rubbed it playfully and gazed at him.

"Glasgow?" She asked and he nodded, remembering the dull grey city of his child hood with a bitter smile.

"Aye. Born and bred." He remarked dryly and she sighed. She fingered the lapel of his collar absently and licked her lips. He swallowed and fixed his gaze on the far wall of the room, mightily aware that with each second she passed on his lap it become steadily more uncomfortable for her to remain so. As gently as he could he deposited her onto her feet and stood, easing out his knee and limping to the fireplace. She followed him and he suddenly missed the strong, impulsive Belle who would have commented on how awful he looked or even just said anything at all. This waiflike thing was not his Belle, but a shadow of the fiery girl he'd come to know. Never again. He promised then that he'd never again drug her, even to sleep.

"Mr Gold…"

"Robert." He murmured softly and she fell silent.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked and he smiled into the flames. A log slipped, crumbling into a million sparkling embers that floated high into the chimney.

"Robert, that's my name." He told her and she gaped at him.

"It feels strange to call you that, you've always been my Mr Gold. Are you sure I can use it? It seems like an awfully personal thing for a cleaner like me to do." She said sadly and Robert stretched out to touch her cheek gently.

"Only when you want to Belle." He said and she leant her face into his palm, nuzzling it like kitten.

"Well I do want to." She said and crossed her arms forcibly over her chest. A great yawn stretched over her face and she hurriedly covered it with her blanketed hand. He snorted and lead her back to the settee. She curled up on it and he spread the blanket out over her. As he turned to walk away she clutched at his hand and squeezed it.

"Thank you Robert, for everything… not just this but for Papa and the Ogres, you're a good man but you've just gotten a little lost." Belle told him candidly and closed her eyes, unaware of the turmoil she'd caused in her employer. Gold stared down at their joined hands and closed his eyes painfully. Now he had one more person who looked up to him, and if his past was anything to go by, one more person to royally disappoint.

**Oh show me the love, for it doth feed the creative juices of my soul and give thee pleasures of the literary kind. As always, I'm open to suggestions, feelings, queries, questions, theories and sensations… reviews of all kinds. Hope you enjoyed it! **


	7. Chapter 7

Seven:

**Alright, next chapter is here. A massive thank you to all of you who have reviewed this fic thus far, you're support has been amazing and I honestly couldn't be more happy. Enjoy. **

"Henry! Give me that gun this instant!" Emma yelled over the chaotic din of New York Police Department's communal office. Several members of the team sniggered into their steaming coffees as her son sheepishly peered over the top of his book, a standard 22. held lazily in his hand. Emma stretched out her hand pointedly.

"By constitutional right I can carry a firearm." Henry whined and Emma quirked a scornful brow at her son, casually crossing her arms over her chest as she sat down on the edge of the worn desk. The place was packed but freezing and she could see her son's nose turning a lovely shade of pink in the chilled air. She rolled her eyes, thinking back to that very morning when he refused to bring his scarf.

"Only to protect yourself and your property, an unlikely event considering you are currently siting in the middle of a New York Police Station." Emma reminded him firmly and he sighed, handing her the weapon which she quickly deposited into her desk drawer. She ruffled his hair and laughed at his disgruntled scowl. She shrugged off her jacket and wrapped it around him.

"Mum!" He looked at her, completely aghast, and she frowned at him in confusion. He pulled off the thick, mustard blazer and handed it back to her.

"I can't wear that; it's a woman's jacket." He said and Emma fought to stifle her laughter.

"I find that there's nothing wrong with a jacket so long as it does its job." She retorted candidly and placed the light brown coat back around his shoulders. At that moment her boss, Graham walked passed. She straightened abruptly and felt the instantaneous blush begin on her cheeks. She caught Henry's amused gaze and sent him a quavering look. Graham stopped before her desk and Emma shooed the ten year old boy sitting behind it out of her seat before calmly seating herself down and fumbling about with stray pieces of paper scattered across the lacklustre surface. She smiled at Graham who winked at Henry and sent her a small frown.

"Emma, where are those reports I gave you last week? The ones for the Italian fraudster case." He asked and Emma glowered at him.

"Graham, I have told you about thirty times, I left it them your in-tray days ago… considering your unnerving knack for procrastination I imagine they're still there, buried beneath the other three I've had to cover since Darcy quit." She prompted sharply and Graham slapped his forehead hard.

"God Em I'm sorry, just a couple more days and then you'll have just the Deputy work, I swear." He told her and Emma sighed, straightening the manila folders she'd collected nonchalantly.

"I'd better be. May I remind you that although I am the only woman in this department that does not mean I have to rectify every mishap you hopeless cases manage to make. I'm sure some part of your job description highlights this." She muttered and he punched her gently on the arm. She retorted with a small slap and stood, crashing into the hovering Henry who stumbled, his precious book tumbling to the floor with a crash. Hurriedly he bent and picked it up, cradling it to his chest. Frustrated, Emma glowered at her son.

"Henry, can you please find something to do other than hang around my desk all day?" She asked him exasperatedly and he rolled his eyes. Graham smirked and clapped her son's shoulder bracingly.

"Come Henry, I have weapons testing to get through." He informed the ten year old and Henry's brown eyes widened with excitement. Emma felt herself losing the battle before it had even begun. As he turned to plead she waved him off.

"Go, have fun but I'm holding you…" Here she pointed to Graham accusingly. He held up his hands in mock surrender and she smirked.

"Personally responsible for my son's corruption." She said snappishly and Graham chuckled. Henry placed the book down on her desk and she smiled at him, tucking it carefully into her desk drawer. Graham tucked an arm around Henry's shoulders, waved at her cheerfully before guiding him away. Emma watched them until they were out of sight before her head sank down onto the cold surface of her desk and she groaned aloud. Now she'd have to contend with a ten year old's desire for firepower. In desperation she turned her attention back to her paperwork. She stood and walked to the filing room with the manila folders under her arm. She'd just finished a case involving several unground figures in the Meatpacking District and the paperwork had been horrendous, mostly because the man who was supposed to have been helping her up and quit the department without any warning whatsoever. As she approached the filing cabinets a familiar and unwelcome shadow crossed her path and she rolled her eyes as an arm cut across her path, effectively stopping her from entering the room. She looked over to see Kieran Dunley, resident chauvinist and war veteran, leaning oer her.

"Dunley I haven't the time nor the patience today, remove your arm or I will do it for you." She ordered and he smirked.

"Hello Emma, having a pleasant day?" He asked and she growled.

"Please remove your arm."

"But I was simply resting it here, shoulder's been acting up lately… a nice massage or a Scotch could fix that right up." Dunley informed her and Emma snorted.

"I hear you already have enough of that going on, Thai parlour not enough for you anymore?" She jeered and the gentile smile became a snarl.

"You watch your mouth Swan." He threatened and she quirked a brow.

"Or what, you'll report me? My only superior is Graham and I have warned him about you, going to him would do you no good." Emma fumed and Dunley sneered viciously.

"How could I forget? You and the Sheriff are pretty close aren't you… most would assume that you're extremely familiar with each other, he lets you and that bastard son of yours stay here after all." He snarled and Emma, gripped his arm very tightly. Her temper soared at his ribald implication of her and Graham's behaviour and the unnecessary insulting of her beloved son. Her fingers tightened sharply around his wrist and she twisted it viciously until the tendons strained and he cried out in pain.

"Insult my son again Dunley and I will break your arm." She promised and stepped past him to enter the filing room, carefully stowing the folders into their correct cabinets before heading back to her desk. Thankfully Dunley had disappeared and she was left mainly alone by her fellow police officers. She bit her lip as she leafed through Belle's file. After the anonymous call she'd received that morning Emma had immediately gone to Graham, who'd sent two beat cops to the area for verification. The scene had apparently been useless, since it had been almost a week since the alleged incident had taken place. All they'd been able to find were scraps of yellow cloth and old stains that could have once been blood but were now nothing more than discolouration on filthy pavement. She was extremely worried for Belle and had been in the process of heading out to the Palace to check up on her when Johnny had come to the office and left Henry at the front desk. With a ten year old to manage and several new reports to file Emma had only just found the time to go over the recon report again. Head bent down over the remaining paperwork she didn't see the newcomer until his dark shadow fell over her desk. Instinctively she reached for her drawer and her head snapped up to behold a pale, shaking man with sandy hair and rheumy blue eyes. He was broad-shouldered and rather savage looking with his beard but there was a look of such utter desperation and heartbreak on his face that Emma was instantly unafraid of him. She brought her hand back up to the surface of her desk and took in her visitor's appearance. His fingers were stained with black pigment and he smelled of a strong mixture of alcohol and mechanical oil. He either worked with machinery or was involved on the docks. His clothes were rumpled but sturdy, obviously a man alone but accustomed to hard work. There was something dreadfully familiar about him. She couldn't quite place it but she could have sworn on her Mother's own grave she'd seen those eyes before.

"Can I help you sir?" She asked politely and he wrung his hands.

"My daughter… you, I…" He stumbled and fell against the desk. She leapt to her feet and called for help. Instantly two nearby officers came to her aid and escorted the man to the nearest seat. Here he sat and grasped his head in calloused, black-stained hands. Emma crouched by his side and waved the men away.

"I've got this, thanks." She told them and they nodded, still looking over at the new comer suspiciously as they took their seats.

"Now sir, please tell me what's happened?" She asked the man who now appeared to be crying. She rubbed his shoulder comfortingly and he gazed at her with red, bleary eyes.

"My daughter, she's been attacked… I told him to look after her, I told him to take care of her but she, she's… oh my dear sweet Belle." He said and reburied his face into his hands. Emma froze.

"Belle, as in Belle de Boire?" She asked and the man she now knew to be her father nodded. He stared up at her with tear stained cheeks aquiver with tremulous emotion.

"You know her?" He asked breathlessly and she nodded.

"I saw her, on New Year's Eve. She talked with my son and…"

"She was attacked that very night!" HE screamed and Emma hurriedly waved down the cops who half rose from their chairs in her defence. At any other time she would have shouted at them. She could take care of herself god damn it.

"It was that monster!" He howled slammed his forehead with a clenched fist. Emma felt herself begin to panic. The police department had sent men to search the area and bloody scraps of yellow cloth had indeed been found but there was nothing to suggest that Gold had done anything. She remembered the woman on the phone and prayed, for Gold's own sake, he'd been aiding Belle.

"Sir please, we're doing everything possible to help your daughter. In fact I was on my way to see her now." She lied and he breathed a great, heaving sigh.

"She's alive?" He asked and Emma nodded, hoping she wasn't lying again to this fragile man. She grasped his hand gently and stared into his bleary eyes seriously.

"We did find scraps of a yellow dress, which I know was the colour she was wearing that night, and there was also some blood located at the scene but we didn't find her and we're under the impression that she may have been aided by someone." Emma told the man who nodded and swallowed heavily.

"What's your name sir?" She asked.

"Maurice de Boire." He said and Emma reached for her note book.

"I need your statement, how exactly did you know about the attack Maurice?" She asked and he swallowed again, rubbing his roughened cheeks gingerly.

"Someone contacted the post office, told Barney that Belle was in trouble… that the police were involved." He said and Emma nodded, writing down the information quickly.

"When was the last time you saw Belle?" She asked and Maurice's face darkened.

"The day after Christmas, she met that fiend Gold on Broad Street and he… they…" He broke off with an anguished sob and Emma sighed.

"Sir I need you to control yourself, I can't help you find your daughter unless you tell me everything that you know and that seems awfully unlikely if you're carrying on like this." She scolded and he nodded, gulping down the remnants of his sorrow as he clenched his fists together tightly.

"I lost my job, down on the docks. I used to be an inventor, of a sort. I mended clocks, watches, radios and even the odd telephone or two but that all ended when people lost assets in the crash." He told her and Emma nodded. A story that echoed millions of others yet was no less important or heartbreaking.

"When her mother died Belle took care of everything, she made sure I was sober enough to make it to work, cleaned the house and slaved away to make what little money she could, selling her mother's jewellery…"He sobbed but continued.

"When I lost the job at the docks she went out to find me another, down on the boards. On her way back she ran into him, into Gold, and he convinced her that he could help her. The next day he was at our house, making her sign some contract and spiriting her away to god only knows where." Maurice grimaced and stared at his tightly clenched fists. Emma touched his shoulder gently and he started, glancing up at her in surprise.

"This is all my fault." HE said faintly and Emma shook her head.

"This is no one's fault Maurice, especially yours. Belle made her own choice and when I saw her seemed to be well cared for and happy." She informed him and Maurice moaned.

"No, no, no… he's a monster, a crook. She'd never tell you if he was anything else, it's never been her way to complain." Maurice said and he gripped Emma's hand in a clasp of pure steel.

"When she was just a little thing we sent her to boarding school. For three months she wrote to us, telling us that she had so many friends, that the teachers were wonderful and that she was happy… we only found out something was wrong when the Head Mistress called to say Belle was in hospital, some of the girls has decided it would be fun to lock her out of the dormitories in the middle of a tempest..." He broke off and swallowed thickly.

"She nearly died of pneumonia yet not once did she blame anyone for what happened, she just asked to leave and we took her out immediately. Miss Swan, she's in trouble… I just know it." Maurice de Boire said and Emma struggled with her conscious. When she'd met Belle, the girl had seemed happy enough. She been polite, witty and even quipped around with Henry, nothing to suggest she was anything other than what she appeared. She stood and moved to sit behind her desk.

"Mr de Boire, I need you to go home. I promise you, I will find Belle and if I smell even the faintest whiff of trouble I will have Gold clamped down under so much red tape he'll be seeing the inside of a prison cell till he meets the devil himself." She said and Maurice looked a little happier than before. He stood and held out his hand which she took readily.

"Thank you Deputy." He murmured and she smiled thinly.

"Take care Mr de Boire." She answered and watched him totter out of the office. When he'd disappeared she stood, pulled on her blazer and raced to the cloak room. There she grabbed her holster and badge before turning on her heel and stalking out to her desk where she penned a quick note to Graham. Pulling her 22. From the drawer she holstered the weapon and walked confidently to the steel curtained elevator. Stepping inside the ugly death trap she felt her worry for Belle build into a near-tangible force inside her. Pulling the shutter across she tapped her foot impatiently as the ungainly, clanking thing descended. She needn't have bothered leaving a message. As she was exiting the elevator she ran straight into Henry and Graham who were wearing identical Cheshire grins on their faces. There was a sparkle in Henry's eye that Emma hadn't seen in a long time and he was staring at Graham in the small boys did when beholding their heroes. It both worried and delighted her that Henry had found an idol in Graham. The poor boy needed something better than a dead beat Father who only took an interest in him when it suited him but at the same time, she didn't want to get his hopes up on something that was never likely to happen. Graham was a great Sheriff and a true gentleman. Over the years chivalry had seemed to have become an out dated concept of acceptable behaviour, now it was almost dead, struggling to survive in a city where survival often meant crawling over your neighbours to get by. With Graham, being a gentleman came before anything else. Even before she'd applied at the NYPD they had gotten along well. She'd been working at a late night diner, the kind frequented by beat cops and dead beats. She'd been pregnant and entirely alone the first time they'd met and unlike most people who found out she wasn't married, he hadn't avoided her like the plague or judged her. He had been the one to stop her from aborting Henry, a low point in her life she hated looking back on, and he'd continued to look out for her ever since. For ten years they'd been close friends, seeing him through a messy divorce and her through many a bad relationship. Henry had often seen Graham as more a father than Johnny.

"Hey, where are you going?" Graham asked and Emma began to fluster. She ruffled Henry's hair and pressed a few dollars into his palm as she breezed past.

"I'm checking up on something, I'll be back in a few hours." She said over her shoulder and Graham raced after her, putting a hand on her shoulder and forcing her to stop.

"Hold it right there Em, where are you going and why?" HE demanded, in full Sheriff mode now that his eyes had fallen on her gun and badge. Henry was staring between them and she winked at him.

"I got a call about Gold, apparently something happened on New Year's and since I've only just found out about it, I'm now heading up there to check it all out." She told him and fought her blush as his vivid blue-grey eyes held her firmly.

"Gold?" He asked and she nodded.

"I'm coming with you." He said and Emma shook her head.

"Please Graham, I can handle this… and Dunley's been driving me slowly insane all morning, I need to get out of here before a put a barrel to his head and end up in county." She told him sardonically. He laughed then his eyes hardened. His handsome face tightened and he gripped her shoudlers firmly.

"What's he been doing now?" He demanded and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Graham, it's fine you know he's just being the chauvinistic, bigot that he is… now let me pass." She said but Graham refused to budge.

"What did he say?" He demanded and Emma flashed a quick glance towards Henry and sighed.

"It doesn't matter, just the usual derogatory comment about my social life and casual snubbing of my son. Just let it go Graham." She pleaded and flinched as the grey in his eyes became as cold as steel. He glanced towards Henry who was in deep conversation with the pretty, brunette secretary laughing loudly at some joke she'd just made. He scowled blackly and Emma laid a hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her.

"Graham, I need you to let this go… if not for me then for Henry, he doesn't need any more of this crap." She said and finally he nodded. He stroked the knuckles of her hand gently before smiling broadly and stepping away.

"Come on Henry, your Mother and I are going for a trip." He called and the boy grinned brightly, scampering over as Emma spluttered a weak protest.

"Graham no!" She exclaimed but Henry turned his pleading, puppy-like eyes upon her and Emma groaned as she felt herself cave.

"Fine but you don't touch anything, talk to anyone or go into any other rooms." She ordered and he saluted her cheerfully. Sighing she walked to the door and followed Graham around to the side of the building to one of the few cars the department owned, smiling when Graham held her door open before moving around to the passenger seat. Henry clambered into the back and peered through the bars at them cheekily.

"Suits you." Emma informed him and he stuck his tongue out at her. She laughed and started the car. The trip was fast, these days few people owned cars and even fewer drove them about New York. Travelling up Broadway they continued along the isle of Manhattan until a familiar building appeared out of the climbing skyscrapers around them. In stark contrast to the half built towers of steel and glass, the eerie stone building stood out like a sore thumb from its neighbours. Even at four stories it seemed to ooze power over its lofty street fellows. Emma supressed a small shiver at the sight of its dark narrow windows, oppressive grey-stone bricks and spindled turrets that pierced the heavens. A palace indeed, more like a fortress of the inane. She pulled up and the three of them got out, a blast of frigid air making her shiver and Henry's recently defrosted nose turn pink again. They mounted the steps and she knocked. Peering inside she saw a pretty blonde woman bent over in a corner, scrubbing at a shining marble floor in the glittering light of a breathtakingly beautiful chandelier. The poor thing started and spun to face them. Holding up her badge Emma indicated for her to let them in. The girl seemed frozen. The she picked herself up off the floor and ran to a side door Emma hadn't even noticed, disappearing through it without a word.

"Well that was unexpected." Graham said frankly and Emma nodded. Henry looked up at his mother and frowned.

"This is Gold's place isn't it?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yes."

"Why are we here?" He asked and Graham wrapped an arm around the boy's shouders, giving him a serious look.

"Exploring." He murmured and both cracked smiles that had Emma's teeth grinding themselves to the nubs.

"Would the two of you cut it out?" She asked testily and they sobered slightly, still casting mischievous glances at one another as the gilded elevator doors opened. She'd never actually seen the infamous Mr Gold and therefore had only the reports from others to go off. What she was expecting what a thug of some sort, a monster's whose very aura spoke of the misdeeds he'd committed and the ruthlessness of his soul. What she got was very different. She stiffened as a tall, wiry man stepped out and limped towards them. He's lame? She thought to herself. For some reason although it was unexpected that one of the most infamous underground figures of New York to be lame, it didn't detract anything from him. An air of smug superiority was in the very tread of his gait and a perpetually amused sneer twisting his thin lips. He oozed confidence in himself and the glittering, dark eyes set deep into his thin face danced like the black fires of hell. He nodded to them, started only slightly at the sight of Henry and pulled a key from the depths of his jacket to unlock the bars behind the doors and pull the ornate portals apart.

"Sheriff, Miss Swan, Master Swan." He said politely to the three of them, dipping his head cynically to each before cocking his head mock-quizzically to the side as he surveyed them. He had a thick Scottish brogue that Emma found odd in such a setting as this.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He asked and smirked down at Henry who drew himself up beneath the infamous man's shrewd stare. Emma scowled and stepped forward.

"We need to talk Mr Gold. A complaint has been lodged at the station involving one of your employees… a Miss de Boire?" She said and for a moment the man's eyes flashed with something she couldn't name. Then the smirk returned and he stepped aside.

"By all means dearies, welcome." He muttered and without sparing them another glance, turned upon his heel to stride back to the elevator. Emma stepped inside, closely followed by Graham and Henry.

"Stay here Henry." She ordered and he frowned. Gold paused.

"Ashley!" He bellowed and a few moments later the flustered blonde they'd first seen rushed into the room. She curtseyed slightly at looked at them curiously, her pretty face paling slightly at Gold quavering gaze.

"Take Master Swan to the kitchen, the boy looks cold enough to freeze a fire." He ordered curtly and Ashley smiled at Henry and moved forward.

"You don't mind Deputy?" Gold asked and Emma shook her head.

"That is very kind of you." She answered and he nodded, watching at Ashley led the chilled Henry through a door and out of sight. The three then turned towards the elevator and Gold sighed as they entered.

"May I ask what it is about Belle that has brought you here Deputy?" He asked as the elevator trundled upwards, a whole lot smoother than the one at NYPD and far nicer to look at. Emma grimaced.

"We received a report that she had been attacked, I'm following up on it on the request of her father… can you confirm any of this for us?" She asked and watched the man's tapered fingers whiten around the handle of his cane. Not a muscle moved in his face however and Emma wondered just how dangerous this man was. It seemed that a lot of hat he felt existed beneath a carefully constructed mask, how thin that mask was, was another mystery. Graham had remained silent thus far but now he spoke.

"Gold, can you confirm if this woman has been hurt and if she has, why no one has reported it until now?" He demanded and Gold rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps dearies, those are questions you would like to ask Belle herself?" He spat and wrenched open the gilded doors before stalking away down a long corridor. Emma sent Graham a wary glance which he returned. Together they followed the man until he reached a door. He paused and knocked, entering swiftly and holding the door open for them. Emma moved in and was immediately struck by the dazzling sunlight in the room. Unlike most of the building she'd seen thus far, this room was bathed in a gentle winter sunlight which filtered through the enormous window behind a desk she could only assume was Gold's. A small figure was huddled by a fireplace to her right.

"Emma?" It asked and Emma realised it was Belle, dressed in a light cotton shift and reclining on a beautifully carved settee before the gently crackling flames.

"Belle, are you- oh my god." Emma's voice died away at the sight of Belle's face. Gold, who'd been carefully watching their faces, now strode towards Belle but Emma coughed loudly. He stopped and turned to face her curiously. Graham stepped forward and shadowed Emma as she walked past Gold to stand before Belle's 'bed'. Emma felt her eyes widened in horror at the sight of Belle's battered visage. The once flawless skin was now marred with a speckling of multi-coloured bruises that trailed across her delicate cheek, around her right eye and up to her temple. Her lip looked halfway healed from a blow that had split it brutally and her breathing was little a little strained, as though her ribs were bruised or cracked. Her smile however told a different story. It was a soft and warm as ever and the azure eyes above it seemed to dance merrily as she gazed past them towards Gold.

"Your brought me visitors… how thoughtful of you when I'm dressed in nothing but a shift." She said pointedly and Gold let out what might have been a laugh. Emma arched a brow at Belle who sobered and scratched at her nose self-consciously.

"Hello Emma, is there something I can help you with?" She asked and Emma nodded.

"For starters you can tell me how you got those bruises." She said and Belle's hand flashed up to touch the flowering marks across her face gingerly.

"Oh and here I was thinking they'd faded at least a little…" She murmured wryly and looked over at Graham in confusion.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" She asked and he immediately jumped to apologise.

"Forgive me ma'am, Sheriff Graham Lupine, at your service." He said and Belle smiled, holding out her hand which Graham shook. She stared at the two of them calculatingly.

"If I told you that I can't really remember, as a lot about that night is still rather blurred for me, would you believe me?" She asked and Emma frowned sceptically. She sent a glare towards Gold who was standing silent and still in the shadows of the room.

"Yes, but anything you can remember would be valuable." Emma prompted and Belle swallowed casting her gazed down to her lap.

"I was walking home from the fireworks. Ruby had disappeared and I thought I'd try to get home alone, better to go home then stay in a crowd of drunken people I didn't know. I'd been walking for ages… right up Broadway and I was almost home when…" She paused and her eyes closed. Gold stepped forward.

"Deputy, is this really necessary?" He asked and Emma snarled at him.

"Unfortunately yes Gold, it is and unless you want me to throw the book at you for obstruction of justice you'll stand right where you are and keep your mouth shut." She warned him fiercely and Belle gasped.

"He didn't do anything wrong." She said and both Emma and Graham whirled to face her with mirrored looks of amazement on their faces.

"I beg your pardon?" Graham said and Belle nodded firmly, lifting her chin proudly.

"Mr Gold did not do this to me. I was attacked by… another man." She said softly, losing her voice towards the end and slumped slightly in her seat. Graham tilted his head and looked over her carefully. Emma felt the sincerity flowing from this woman like heat waves off bitumen in summer. She'd always had an unfailing ability for detecting deceit in others, it was a knack that had been quite useful over the last few years and right now her gut was screaming to her that Belle was telling the truth. Emma couldn't believe it though.

"Miss de Boire, you said you don't remember much about that night, are you certain…?" Graham began and Belle snarled fiercely at them.

"Of the few things I can remember about that night, one of them being a man's hand running over the inside of my skirt, another is that, with god as my witness, Mr Gold did not do this to me." She repeated firmly and glared at them defiantly until Graham backed down. He apologised and folded his arms over his chest. Emma bit her lip and nodded.

"Belle, can you identify your attacker?" She asked and Belle shook her head.

"No, it was too dark and I doubt it'll do you any good to go and look for him either." She said and Graham hooked his thumbs into the loops of his belt, his favourite position when a suspect told him something he knew was about to open a proverbial Pandora's box.

"And why is that Miss de Boire?" He asked and she shrugged.

"He's probably untraceable by now and if he had any brains he'd have disappeared… I hear Cuba's lovely this time of year." Belle said teasingly and Emma didn't need her lie detector to hear the false cheer in her voice.

"Is that so? You think he's fled to Cuba?" Graham said and Belle snorted.

"I said nothing of the sort, what I said was that Cuba was lovely this time of year." She said and settled herself back into the pillows of the settee.

"Indeed, any other holidays destinations you know of or are you going to cooperate with us?" Emma asked and Belle rolled her eyes.

"Emma, I don't know where he is? I never saw his face, the only thing I can recall about him is that he smelled awful and I don't ever want to think about him again." She snapped and Emma felt instantly terrible for pushing Belle into this. It was obvious that something had happened to her, what was also obvious was that Gold was not the monster who did it. Her two questions were now solved, why did she feel the need to push the girl for answers?

"I'm sorry Belle, I've just been worried about you. You weren't…?" She trailed off and Belle shook her head, much to everyone's relief. Graham looked fairly ready to go door to door asking after the culprit. His extraordinary sense of gallantry had come into play and something in Belle had obviously sparked his admiration. Emma sat down on the edge of the settee and Belle grasped her hand gently.

"How did you know?" she asked and the female deputy sighed.

"I received an anonymous tip this morning. Someone knew of your attack but didn't say anything until today… something I need to ask you about Gold? She said to the silent sentinel by the desk. He swung his head towards her indulgently and lifted a scornful brow.

"Sorry did you say something dearie?" He asked and Emma scowled at him. He grinned.

"Forgive me dearie but I was under the impression I was to remain silent." He quipped dryly and Graham glowered threateningly towards the man whose name even some of the hardest men in New York feared to say lightly.

"Stop acting like a juvenile and answer our questions." Graham said and Gold chuckled derisively.

"Very well, what was it again?" Gold asked and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Why didn't you report this?" She asked and Gold smirked darkly.

"I have my own methods dearie, most of them faster and more reliable than those of your petty police department. You may patrol these streets but remember this… I own them, so the next time you think I'm going to sit around like a wee child and wait for you dearies to catch up to me, stop and don't waste your time." He warned coldly and Emma frowned. She stood up from the settee and moved towards him.

"Taking the law into your own hands is a punishable offence." She reminded him and he shrugged helplessly.

"Frankly dearie, I don't give a bloody damn." Gold informed her firmly and moved past her to stand by the fire. Emma watched Belle's eyes flicker to follow the irritating man and felt shock hit her like a lightning bolt as she recognised the look inside them. It was the look she knew often came into her own eyes, when she gazed at Graham for too long. Stunned that any woman could look at the depraved man with anything other than repulsion Emma turned her eyes away from Belle's upturned face to fix them instead on the man himself. Gold was staring avidly into the flickering flames but every so often his glances fell on Belle, a soft, genuine smile replacing the twisted sneer that had been hovering around his lips. What the actual hell? Emma was so transfixed by their connection she jumped about three feet into the air when the door crashed open and slammed against the wall with a deafening crash. Everyone whirled to see Henry standing in the doorway, a cup of hot chocolate in his hand and a grin on his face that stretched from ear to ear.

"Mum, I found a secret passageway!" He called excitedly and Emma slammed her forehead with her open palm. She turned to apologise to Gold but the man had a strange expression on his face. He stared at Henry for a full second, as though seeing a ghost, before striding over to the door.

"Is that so dearie? Tell me about it?" He asked and held out his hand to encourage Henry into the room, sweeping it a broad gesture to where they all crowded by the fireplace. Henry looked up at Gold and seemed to weigh up the decision to speak. Then he shrugged.

"It came up from the kitchen, Granny had her back turned and so I ran up here before she could stop me… I just wanted to see where it led." He explained breathlessly and Gold limped beside him, nodding absently.

"Ah yes, and I shall have to speak to Mrs Lucas about that." He murmured with a slight steel-edge to his tone that made Henry's grin slip off his face like water off a rock.

"I am joking lad, you have come to see Belle yes?" He asked and for the first time Henry's eyes alighted on Belle who was watching these proceeding with a single arched brow.

"Belle?" Henry said excitedly and gasped loudly at the sight of her face. Emma bit her lip and opened her mouth to explain but Belle beat her to the quick.

"Henry Swan, how good of you to finally join us. Get your skinny little derrière over here partner and give me a kiss." She ordered and Emma sniggered as Henry's cheeks flushed vividly. As he approached Belle opened her arms and engulfed him to her, kissing the top of his head and drawing back to grin into his face. Emma saw Henry's gaze flicker over Belle's bruises. Belle herself tapped him squarely on the nose, before she ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Well now, what's this I hear about a secret passageway?" She asked and Henry smiled and repeated his narrative, with several more embellishments than he'd previously told Gold. Belle clapped her hands with delight and sat up straighter.

"Henry, will you fetch something for me?" She asked, glancing over at Gold, who nodded tersely, before peering into the boy's wide brown eyes once more. He nodded and Belle pointed to the door.

"On the fourth floor of this building you'll come to a corridor that leads directly to the East, follow it to the end and you'll come to a ladder. Up the ladder there is a room in which I left my shawl, would you be ever so kind and bring it down here for me?" She asked and Henry nodded, placing the half-finished hot chocolate on the table and scampering to the door. They heard his footfalls retreat and Belle glanced up at Emma with a scathing look of reproach.

"Why would you bring him here Emma, it's not a nice place for children." She said and Emma sighed.

"I was press-ganged into it; you can thank Mr Lupine here for the moral destruction of my only child." She muttered and stuck her thumb out in Graham's direction making the man smirk broadly and dip his head towards them offhandedly. Belle rolled her eyes and fiddled with the edge of her blanket.

"He shouldn't have to see me like this, it looks far worse than it is." She said and touched the bruises on her cheek. She pursed her lips and went to stand. Gold moved to aid her and she accepted his arm gratefully.

"Would it kill you to get some carpets in here?" Belle snapped as her bare toes made contact with the obviously freezing floorboards. Gold sniggered, retracting his arm.

"No but you'd have to clean them." He reminded her and she groaned, easing her weight between her frigid feet. Emma was stunned at their obvious camaraderie but said nothing.

"Would you like some tea?" Belle asked politely and indicated to her sullen employer.

"Am I right in thinking that this dearie didn't offer it?" She asked sarcastically in an awful imitation of his accent and Emma nodded, hiding her smirk when Gold frowned darkly at Belle.

"No thanks, coffee or nothing." Graham said and Emma seconded the motion thoroughly. Belle sent them identical looks of feigned distaste.

"You sicken me." She told them candidly and once again Gold let out a bark that could have been a laugh, if he was capable of such a sound. The four of them lapsed into an uncomfortable silence that was only broken by the sound of approaching feet. A moment later, Henry burst into the room carrying a neatly wrapped white shawl in his right hand and a small, red-breasted robin on his shoulder. Belle smiled brightly and tossed her rather scary looking curls over her shoulder.

"Calico! Is that where you've been hiding?" She scolded and Emma realised she was talking to the bird. It chirped and extended it tiny speckled wings, one of which was attached to a splint that appeared to have been forged from string and a needle. Henry's face fell at being ignored and Belle tapped him smartly on the chin and held out her hand for the shawl. He deposited it into her open palm and she laughed, wrapping it around her shoulders happily.

"Oh that's much better… thank you Sir Henry." She said and Henry blushed.

"I'm not a knight." He protested and Belle clucked disapprovingly.

"I think you are. In all my books knights help damsels in distress, brave unknown territories and win the kisses of fair maidens… all of which you have done, hence forth you will be my Sir Henry of New York." She told him and curtsied prettily before him. In response Henry made an awkward attempt to bow and nearly toppled the flightless Calico who screeched at being so mishandled. Belle chuckled and held out her hand for the robin, who puffed himself up with great dignity and stepped out onto her awaiting finger.

"Now, now Calico we discussed this, when there are strangers in the building we remember our manners." Belle scolded and Emma wondered at this girl.

"Why is he called Calico?" Henry asked and Belle smiled, blowing a small kiss to the robin that now perched happily on her shoulder.

"I named him after Calico House. I used to live there when I was very small and every spring the robins used to nest in the maples at the back hence I dub him Calico." She announced and it seemed that Gold had finally had enough of their presence.

"If that's all Deputy, I must ask you to leave." He said curtly and Emma jumped.

"Yes, of course. Thank you both for your time." She said automatically and he nodded. Belle stepped forward and kissed her on both cheeks, holding out her hand for Graham to shake once more. Henry hugged her warmly and Belle whispered something to him that no one else caught.

"Ashley!" Gold bellowed and the pretty blonde appeared at the door mere seconds later.

"See our guests out and lock the doors after them. When you are done give the key to Mrs Lucas and return to your duties." He ordered, handing her the brass key from the depths of his pocket. She nodded and beckoned for Emma, Graham and Henry to follow. After one last glance towards Belle, who smiled and waved merrily at them as she sat down in one of the armchairs by the fire, Emma turned to follow the girl out of the room. As they rode the elevator down Emma spoke to Ashley.

"Are you alright?" She asked and the pretty blonde nodded.

"Of course." She responded and Henry stared up at her.

"Did he hurt you?" Graham asked and Ashley gasped.

"No never, Mr Gold has been nothing but generous to me. I would be rotting in a gutter somewhere if it weren't for him." Ashley said and Emma hurried to explain.

"You just seem a little… off, are you sure everything's alright?" She asked and Ashley sighed as she pulled the doors apart.

"Yes, this is not a place where one can complain… it's not as if he hurts any of us, yells at us a lot and plays his stupid mind games but it's not in his nature to physically harm any of us." She said and Emma nodded. Graham looked distinctly uncomfortable as they passed the second level and two women called out to them.

"Afternoon officer, are you a good cop or a very, very bad cop?" One asked and the other laughed.

"Cause we have our own handcuffs if you've been bad." She chorused and Emma slammed her hands over Henry's ears, glaring at the two women who cackled and opened the fronts of their silk gowns to reveal their breasts towards the elevator as it dipped to the final level. Ashley shook her head.

"Sorry about that, generally they're not so crass." She said sheepishly and motioned them towards the door. Henry looked at Emma and a curious look entered his eyes.

"Why were those women…?"

"Henry, this is one of those moments where I believe you and I will have to have a man's conversation at the station." Graham said softly and Emma sent him a thankful glance which he smiled away.

"Oh, okay." Henry said and the matter was dropped. As they stepped out into the cold air Emma turned to face Ashley once more as she closed the iron bars and locked them.

"Does he hurt her?" Emma asked and Ashley froze.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked and Emma waved Graham and Henry towards the car. Now that it was just them Emma felt the woman relax slightly.

"Does Gold hurt Belle?" She repeated and Ashley's mouth felt open in horror.

"Never, he'd as soon as hurt himself. I don't know what that woman did to him but life around here got a whole lot better the moment she arrived." Ashley said firmly and Emma nodded, the last traces of doubt falling from her mind as she stepped away.

"Thank you Ashley." She said and the woman smiled. Emma turned away and sidled into the cop car. Graham was sitting in the driver's seat and Emma rested her head on her palm as they began to drive. Although some questions had been answered; more seemed to be crawling from the woodwork. Why would someone tell her of the incident if it had already been handled? Who was the witness? Was it the same person who'd called Maurice de Boire's post office? And why was the legendary Gold like nothing she'd imagined him to be?

**Hell yeah, chapter is done and I think it went rather well. Whole chapter is in Emma's POV but I promise next time it'll go back to Belle's. Please review and let me know what you thought… it makes me so happy. **


	8. Chapter 8

Eight:

**Alright, so this chapter is up and running and I'm sooooo excited, hatched a major plot bunny almost as soon as I sat down to write it and now a thousand and one ideas have taken fruit. Literally just watched Skin Deep and cried like you wouldn't believe at the end, god damn Regina, I will enjoy giving her comeuppances… I'm sure we'd all appreciate that right? So I realised I haven't made a disclaimer yet, naughty me, and so now I will. **

**Let it thus be known that hence forth all characters recognisably originating from the TV show Once Upon a Time are the property of others thus I have no claim over them, much as I may wish it otherwise. Apart from a few Ocs and the plot I leave all creative rights to those in charge. Sadly Robert Carlyle is not mine either… **

"Mr Gold! If you try to stop me from leaving this room, so help me I will knock you flat." Belle cautioned seriously as she went to walk to the door only to find her way blocked by none other than her stubborn-as-all-hell employer. Unimpressed, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him fiercely. He levelled his own searing gaze upon her, trying to bully her into silent submission, but she refused to quaver beneath its power.

"Mr Gold, I have stayed in this room for three whole days, per your orders, and I haven't moved a muscle beyond taking a few steps around the place to dust furniture. I need to change out of this nightgown and I need to work properly... it is after all, what you brought me here for in the first place." She informed him frustratedly and growled when he only smiled at her indulgently, the same lenient expression parents often made when their sick children insisted with their nonsensical ideas. Wonderful, now he was patronising her.

"Belle you are still unwell, until I'm satisfied…"

"Which you never seem to be." Belle interrupted, proving once and for all just how mature she could be, and he scowled at her blackly. She sneered right back at him and tightened her crossed arms defiantly. Weeks ago she wouldn't have dared let so much as a sneer cross her face with him around but now… now he'd seen her in her nightgown and she felt that was licence enough for her to act however she pleased around him… starting with her work.

"Until I am satisfied you are better, you will remain here." Gold said and his tone brooked no room for argument as he turned her back to the settee and forced her gently into it. She pushed his hand away and tried to maintain what was left of her dignity, which was currently being snatched away from her by her childish, overly neurotic employer. Under her heated glare he sighed and moved to sit behind his desk. For the three days she'd been in this room, she watched him work at the table and, occasionally, at the ancient spinning wheel in the corner. The first time he'd done so she'd been stunned. Up until then he'd always given her the impression, though as she thought about it; never said, that it was simply a sentimental keepsake from his childhood, not something that he actually operated. Yet sure as she breathed, Belle had sat by the warmly glowing fire during the evenings and watched him silently as he methodically weaved an unending supply of raw sheep's wool into the bobbin and around the creaking wheel until it created yards of fine yarn that she gathered up automatically and wound into neat bundles.

"What will you do with it?" She'd asked one night and he'd shrugged, his eyes never leaving the hypnotising spin of the wheel. She'd smiled and stroked the yarn, which was softer than anything she'd ever felt before in her life.

"May I used some… just for repairs if I need them?" She asked and Gold had whirled to look at her then.

"Of course Belle, as much as you'd like." He said and she'd laughed delightedly, tucking the smallest bundle into the inside of her slip. At his desk however he always wore the same carefully neutral expression as he poured over the seemingly infinite supply of paper work that crossed it. Occasionally he would leave the room, returning hours later in a sour mood, but whenever she tried to pry information from him about where he went, she received the same response every time… silence. Belle recognised the façade immediately and wondered what was written on those files that worried him so much. His handsome face creased and darkened at times and his leg often gave him trouble. Though he never spoke of it aloud Belle could see it was a problem for him. On the wheel his face became younger, the worry melted away and a look of absolute peace stole over him as his fingers worked methodically to weave the thread. Right now he sat at his desk and the mask was back in place. Sighing she got to her feet, making his head snap up fast enough to give him whiplash as he stared at her warily. Offended but not surprised she rolled her eyes and tucked her hands behind her back, skipping playfully over to his desk and moving to sit on the edge beside his left arm. He stared up at her in shock but she ignored him.

"What do you want Belle?" He asked irritably and she shrugged heavily. She looked at him, smiling softly, but said nothing. Then she turned her gaze towards the window and watched through it as the Hudson River meandered past them prettily in the morning light. She began to hum softly and the scratching of the pen stopped as suddenly as it had begun.

"Belle, would you kindly desist in humming?" Gold asked shortly and she stopped immediately. She remained silent long enough for him to resume his writing before she began to whistle. This time Gold threw the pen down and turned around in his chair to face her squarely.

"Dearie, it's getting tiresome having to stop ever five seconds to ask you to desist in making noises more suitable to five year old children than a fully grown woman, so I'll ask you one last time, stop whistling." He demanded and she tilted her head to smile at him in a banal fashion.

"Of course, Mr Gold. " She murmured primly and he nodded tightly, grumbling to himself as he resumed his prior position, picked up the pen and began to scrawl across the papers in a heated manner. Knowing she was either going to die or get what she wanted Belle screwed the last bits of her determination together and tapped the surface of the table alternately with a her index and middle fingers. It was a rapid tattoo of a childhood ditty her Papa had sung to her when she was small and she kept at it until Gold's entire frame went rigid. Biting her lip apprehensively Belle tapped her index finger one last time and suddenly found her left wrist seized in a bone crushing hold. She gasped and her eyes flew up to meet Gold's, whose irises had darkened to a dangerous shade of dark brown. She'd seen him become like this only a couple of times and it still terrified her how quickly and easily he lost control of his emotions. For a taciturn and usually quite disciplined man, it struck her as odd that his behaviour could be so erratic. She swallowed as he glared at her furiously.

"I warned you dearie, to not disturb me." Gold muttered murderously. His brogue thickened as his rage built and the grip on her wrist tightened further, making her cry out in pain and slide off the desk to kneel at the side of his chair. She gazed up at him and fought the instinctive reaction to cry. The pain in her wrist was intensifying. Knowing she only had one chance she bit back the sarcastic retort on the tip of her tongue.

"It's not nice is it?" She choked out at him from between gritted teeth and he frowned in confusion.

"What?" He spat and she glowered. The pain in her wrist lessened slightly but she knew the moment she tried to move it, he'd break it.

"It can't be a nice feeling when someone stops you from doing what you're supposed to be doing. I can only wonder what that feels like?" She continued sourly and instantly the hard gleam left his eyes. He stared down at her as though seeing her for the first time then his gaze fell upon his own hand, wrapped around her wrist in a brutal vice. He flung himself back and away from her, the chair toppling to the ground with an almighty crash. He turned away from her and straightened his shoulders. Belle used the table to ease herself up and winced as her wrist twinged painfully. Glancing at it she grimaced at the already flowering bruises that were appearing like a mottled bracelet around the circumference of her appendage. She rubbed at them then drew the sleeve of her shift down over them. Stubbornly Belle approached him and gently placed her right hand on the top of his back. He flinched away and she gritted her teeth in disappointment. She tried again. This time he stepped away entirely, gripping the wall to support himself rather than allow her hand to remain on his shoulder. Her fury mounted at his rejection and she moved hurriedly to stand next to him only to have the man circle the desk warily, almost as if he were running away from her. Finally she caught up with him, dipping her head slightly to peer up at his downcast face and gauge his expression. Belle felt her mouth soften and the anger melt away at the horrified look in his gentle brown eyes. Her heart sank as she realised, he was not going to let her touch him. He was afraid to hurt her again. Right, she needed to stamp that particular weed into the concrete.

"Mr Gold?" She asked and he stubbornly kept his eyes averted, as though by simply looking at her he could harm her.

"Mr Gold please." Belle pleaded but to no avail. He simply ignored her. A faint memory arose in her mind, a half dreamed memory that made her tilt her head curiously in thought. Praying to all the gods around the cosmos she was not making a fool of herself Belle reached out and grasped his sleeve kindly but resolutely.

"Robert, look at me please." She murmured and he finally looked down at her. Success. She smiled, rubbing soothingly at his arm, coaxing him back to her.

"Let it go... it's only a few bruises." She told him softly and something flickered in the depths of his eyes, a flash of something far more terrifying than his towering temper. Then he blinked and it was gone, so fast that Belle had trouble recalling if she'd actually seen anything at all. She smiled and turned away from him, waltzing back to the desk and sitting down upon its gleaming surface, scooping a few of the scattered papers to her. She tapped them into a neatened pile and sighed, holding them out slightly to read. They were out of her hands so fast she was afraid one may have torn. Gold had moved like lightening to snatch them clean out of her grasp and Belle arched her brow serenely at him.

"Feel better now Mr Gold?" She quipped dryly and he scowled.

"I'd feel better if you didn't know what was on these documents… that way when people ask you can truthfully say you don't know." He said and Belle sniggered.

"Because in my present condition I'm so likely to be running into people wanting to know the contents of your desk drawer." She muttered cynically and he rolled his eyes.

"Don't be misanthropic Belle, it doesn't suit you." He told her bitterly and she shrugged.

"I'll bare that in mind the next time I give a damn." She said and he stared at her in shock. She laughed as she picked a piece of lint off her sleeve, giving him a long, meaningful look. He heaved a great sigh and threw up his hands in defeat.

"Fine, I'm never going to get these done with you around so you may as well go." He relented and Belle beamed at him excitedly.

"But, you are not to overstrain yourself. You are to call Ashley or Ruby if you feel tired and under no circumstances are you to lift anything heavier than a tea pot." He said belligerently and she nodded quickly, eager to get out and actually do something. Without thinking she wrapped her arms around him and stepped back. The expression on his face was one of complete shock.

"Thank you." She said warmly and turned on her heel to race to the door, pulling it open and running through it.

OoOoOoO

"I'm free!" Belle cried as she strode proudly into the steaming kitchen, twirling theatrically and bowing to the three stunned women already in the room. They gasped at her appearance and Belle knew that she was now almost as respectable as any of them. She had raced upstairs to wash herself thoroughly with the water in her chipped basin… only to find the basin was no longer chipped. It had been replaced by a plain, gold rimmed one that hadn't leaked water all down her front when she lifted it. There was a beautifully weaved Persian rug on the floor of the tower, her toes had literally melted into its softness when she'd stood upon it to gape around the vastly altered room. Her small bed had an extra pillow and a far softer blue comforter thrown across it. On closer inspection she had found it to have a delicate border of twisting rose vines, intertwining in an elegant ribbon of emerald and scarlet. There was even a mirror on the desk now and with it Belle had been able to actually fashion her hair into something halfway decent; a long French braid that trailed loosely down her back. The gown she was wearing seemed to be Ruby and Ashley squealed and moved forward as one to embrace her while Granny simply stared boredly from her position by the stove. Over their shoulders she smiled warmly at Belle before turning back to stir the delicious smelling meal on the cooker.

"How did you convince him to let you go?" Ruby asked curiously and Ashley nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, we were sure you'd be spending the rest of the month in that room. Did you run away?" She asked and Belle sniggered.

"No, I just pestered him continually until he let me go." She said and Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Great, put him in a bad mood Belle. Has it occurred to you that although he likes you, the rest of us can go jump in the Hudson for all he cares?" She asked and Belle slapped her friend's arm cheerfully, trying to control the small blush on her cheeks at her friend's indirect comment.

"It's not all bad…" She said and too late realised her navy sleeve had fallen back to reveal the circlet of bruising around her wrist. Damn. Ruby's sharp eyes spotted it immediately and Belle hurriedly backed away from the pair, much to the older woman disgust.

"Belle de Boire what the hell was that?" She asked tersely and Ashley stared between the two of them in confusion. Belle shook her head firmly and levelled Ruby with a firm glare.

"It's nothing Ruby, let it go." She muttered but the brunette shook her head, reaching for Belle's arm which Belle hurriedly tucked behind her back.

"No! Belle if he's hurt you…"

"I was pestering him remember? Not to mention he was genuinely sorry for it afterwards." Belle placated lamely and Ruby's lips pursed into a thin, angry line. She looked ready to explode and even Granny had whirled around to stare at Belle in horror.

"Not as sorry as he's going to be." Ruby growled and Belle swore she could see proverbial fangs extending from her friend's gums. She spared Ashley a meaningful glance, warning her to stay quiet, and wrapped her arm casually around Ruby's shoulder.

"Ruby dearest, I'd love to stay and chat but I have an atrium to clean." She said bracingly and both women protested. She raised her eyebrows at them, daring them to contest her decision.

"I have been sitting on my derriere for three days doing nothing, I need to clean that atrium or I can promise that life here is never going to be the same." She vowed and turned on her heel to find the cleaning cupboard. From behind her she heard Ashley talking to Ruby.

"Life here will already never be the same again... if Gold gets any less morbid I think we'll have to check he hasn't been replaced by a copy." She muttered shortly and squeaked as something was thrown at her, presumably by Granny who now spoke.

"Ashley, hold your tongue. That girl has changed this place for the better and well you know it… do you want us to go back to what we were?" Granny asked and Belle paused as she held the bucket and wash clothes at arms-length.

"No." Came the sullen reply and Granny tutted scornfully.

"Then keep your trap shut, I haven't seen Gold this happy since before Baelfire left." She said and Belle felt her curiosity being pricked. Who was Baelfire?

"Granny, we've all seen it before… he's a cold hearted bastard who only end up hurting her... which if you were all paying attention, he already has." Ruby said,

"She said that it was handled and I will take her word for it until she says otherwise. Whatever you think of her Ruby, Belle is not as delicate as she appears, give her a chance." Granny said and Belle's cheeks flushed at the subtle praise. Ruby however, let out an extremely unladylike snort.

"He'll only hurt her." She repeated stubbornly and Granny let out her own growl.

"We don't know that for sure… you didn't see him that night he brought her home. I thought he was going to…" She sighed loudly and broke off. Belle wondered if what she was saying was true or if it was just an old woman's fantasies.

"Granny, be reasonable. Mr Gold is a fair enough employer but he's not a good man, never has and never will be." Ruby said and Belle sucked in her breath sharply.

"You're not so innocent yourself Ruby and don't you forget it." Granny remonstrated and Belle suddenly dropped the bucket which clattered to the ground with a loud crash. Silence reigned in the kitchen and Belle hurriedly picked up the bucket and carried it to the tomb-like room. As she entered she smiled at the three of them and walked to the sink. As she filled up the bucket she looked over at the shame-face trio and laughed.

"What's gotten into you three?" She asked and instantly the expressions vanished. Ruby's customary smirk reappeared, as did Ashley's ever present smile and Granny's sour look of disapproval. In short, they replaced the masks Belle realised were as usual for the people of this building to wear as the clothes on their backs. Was nothing in this place real? Did no one show their true faces? Apparently not.

"Nothing, what else were you planning on attacking today?" Ashley asked and Belle shrugged.

"I was thinking of getting back on-track with those storage rooms on the third floor, there are so many interesting things in them I'm actually looking forward to going in and cleaning them." She said and Ruby snorted.

"Granny me thinketh the lady hath officially lost it, for no one looks forward to cleaning." She murmured solemnly and Belle threw one of her wash cloths at the brunette who caught it and returned the rag playfully. Rolling her eyes Belle saluted the trio and exited the room, the smile slipping off her face as soon as she was sure they wouldn't notice. Now who was wearing a mask? She sighed and put the bucket down on the ground to stare around the atrium with her hands planted on her hips. So many questions. Who was Mr Gold really? Could she actually trust him or was he just playing the generous employer… with expectations? She shuddered and refused to believe it, Robert was not like that. Ruby's words rang in her head like steeple bells. _He's not a good man, never has and never will be. _She shook her head. That wasn't him at all… was it?

"Right, that's more than enough moping Belle." She informed the glittering room and smirked when it refused to answer her. She dumped the cloths into the bucket and wrung them out. As she began to scrub at the marble an old game she remembered from her childhood rose to the forefront of her mind. She grinned. Quickly Belle pulled off her shoes and the navy stockings she only just put on before carefully winding the damp cloths in her hands around her feet, tucking the loose ends into the bindings before standing up slowly. She bit her lip tensely before dipping her feet lightly into the bucket once more. Once she was sure they were fully soaked she backed up against the far wall opposite the front doors, which she saw were still barred against the outside world, and counted to three. She launched herself off the wall then allowed herself to slide the full length of the room, catching herself on the doors and grinning madly to the people outside. Turning back to face the golden elevator she rubbed her hands together gleefully before setting off again, holding her arms out to steady herself as she skilfully cleaned the marble tiles.

OoOoOoO

As the door closed behind her Gold felt the monster inside him raise its head deep within the hollow of his chest. For too long it had slumbered, lulled by Belle's gentle presence and content to dwell silently inside him, unwelcome by the world and its host. Now it was angry. With him. Actually, angry wasn't the right word. The beast was beside itself with rage and Robert knew he had mere minutes before the episode took over. Gripping his cane tightly he limped swiftly over to one of the seemingly identical oak panels that lined the walls of his office. On its surface was a beautiful, lovingly-crafted rose inlay, so life like and delicate it seemed to bend and sway in the dancing half-light of the room. Hurriedly he pushed one of its petals and the entire rose gave slightly beneath his fingers, the door clicked into place and slid the panel back to reveal a smaller, less prestigious looking elevator. He walked in and gasped as the pain began to grow inside his chest. The monster, it seemed, wanted out. Slowly and silently this elevator took him directly to his room at the very top of the West Wing Tower. Even if Belle or anyone else tried to reach the room via the traditional route they'd find the hallway impassable, this elevator was the only way to reach it and the secrets it held. The steel door folded open and Gold lurched forward. The thing growled and Robert knew he had to bar the door, just in case. He hadn't had an episode in weeks and this one was already showing signs of being a bad one. The sheer ferocity of the beast and the swiftness at which it rose within him shocked him. This was the first time in months he'd actually felt the monster's presence and for the first time in many years he felt truly afraid of it. The monstrosity that dwelled inside him generally stayed hidden, only appearing every once in a blue moon but its emotions held sway of his own, bubbling to the surface in moments when he least expected it. Once it had actually spoken and in those few moments of absolute terror had whispered its name to him… the Dark One. Suddenly his legs gave out beneath him and he slammed into the floorboards, on all fours and writhing grotesquely as the seizures began. Seizure was the only term that seemed to fit with what happened at this point of his episodes, for indeed there were great tremors that wracked his body from head to toe and he was unable to stand or move beyond a few desperate metres in mortal agony. Clapping down on his tongue he fought back the agonised screams that bubbled from the depths of his throat and a strange, half strangled groan escaped his taunt lips. The monster unfurled and pushed him away, banishing his consciousness to the furthest reaches of his mind. It was like watching someone else's body moving, someone else's lips shaping into savage howls. Robert could only watch, as though through a thick fog, as the monster took control of his limbs and began to wreck its havoc on the contents of the room. He watched in mute horror as the table, with all its delicate coils and technicoloured beakers, was overturned and hurled at one of the stone walls where it shattered into splintered pieces upon the floor. Unsatisfied with just that destruction the beast turned to the bed, tearing at the bed covers, renting them apart and tossing them to the floor. Next the mattress was torn open and it's springs set free, ricocheting off the rafters above his/it's head. The shelves were next, overturned and beaten ferociously, their contents spewed across the filthy stones. Then it began to attack the room itself. The grey-brick stone, which already bore many a scar, bore the brunt of the creature's fury as it tore at the very mortar that held the room together. Snarls like those of a feral bear echoed throughout the flame lit chamber and, from his forced exile Robert could only watch as his body tore the room apart. The door was railed against; great, bloodied gouges coating the polished oak as the Dark One threw itself against it. With each jarring thud Robert felt his control return. The creature, however strong it started out to be, always weakened eventually. That didn't stop it from at least attempting to beat itself to a pulp and he could only watch as his body hurled itself at the floor and walls, tearing madly at the stones until at last it's spirit died. Taking the advantage Robert pushed himself to the very limits of his strength, battling the Dark One back into the recess he'd just vacated. It howled and resisted, as it always did. Then it spoke, in a hoarse, shuddering whisper that terrified him more than anything else in this world.

"You think you have won Robert… next time we met I will not fail. Consider yourself warned, hurt the girl again and you will pay the price." It whispered harshly and Robert scowled internally.

"_I'll hold you to that." _He vowed and a hoarse, rasping chuckle escaped his lips.

"Ah Spindleshanks, what fun we could have had…" Its voice faded away as Robert pounced, basically wrestling with his own mind and slamming it deep into the recesses of his mind. He knew the Dark One was gone when the pain returned. All the strength the creature possessed drained from his limbs as though it never existed, leaving him exhausted and gory on the frigid floor. Every muscle screamed its agony as he lay stunned on his stomach, sprawled full length upon the ground. He groaned pitifully and rolled himself over onto his back. The pain was enormous and he cried out before he could stop himself. Hissing with pain he sat up and eased himself towards the wall, using it to haul himself up. His knee collapsed the moment he put any kind of weight on it and he was certain at least two of his ribs were cracked. His head was pounding like a drum and his throat burned for tea. His hands trembled as he crawled along the wall to the fallen cane, left forgotten in the Dark One's fury. Clasping it to him he cautiously clambered to his feet, easing his weight onto the cane with one hand and grasping painfully at the wall with the other. The nails on both his hands were ragged and bloody, within a few days most would fall off and he'd have to wear gloves for months until they regrew. Agonisingly he dragged himself over to the splintered remains of his chemistry lab and groaned. Everything he'd been working on for the last six months was completely destroyed, nothing was salvageable. The beakers were shards of dripping glass scattered across the floor and all his experiments simply ever-expanding puddles upon the floor. He screamed in anguished and smashed his fist against the wall, wincing when it sent agonising spears of pain up his arm and shoulder. He swore savagely and hunkered down beside the table, picking up one of the useless piece of glass and throwing it against the wall. He buried his face in his hands.

"Why?" He whispered hoarsely to the room, as though some great presence was going to actually answer him. Exhausted he slumped against the wall and closed his eyes, unable to keep them open as his blood slowly began to mingle with the puddles all around him. Why? Why did this happen? He knew the answer, knew why this had happened and he also knew that he deserved this. He deserved it all. Great waves of fatigue finally overwhelmed him and he sank into blissful oblivion.

OoOoOoO

After her quick work of the atrium was completed Belle cleared away the devastation she found in the club room. Scowling blackly as she scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain on the carpet, Belle reminisced upon the days when the hardest chore she'd had to do was swept the house floor. Back when she had three rooms to care for and only herself and papa to please, Papa. In all the excitement she'd completely forgotten about her beloved Papa. Guilt made her pause in her work and she leaned heavily on the bar as she tried to picture what he could be doing now. Emma had said he knew of her attack, god how she wished now she'd asked the Deputy to give her Papa a message. How worried he must be? She shook her head bitterly and chewed at her bottom lip thoughtfully. Maybe Mr Gold would let her send a letter, that wasn't too much to ask… even though she already owed him more than she could possibly hope to repay. He had saved her life and her virtue and regardless of what people said about him, he would always to her be a good man. For the next few hours she moved slowly about the room, taking her time and finding that she required far more breaks than she'd previously needed. When she was satisfied that she could do no more in her present state Belle moved up onto the third floor, ready to begin her exploration of the storage rooms. She skipped over the furniture room with relief, knowing that she'd at least completed that one and unlocked the next door along with great excitement. The room was dark and cavernous, extending far back into the shadows but Belle smiled at the prospect of discovery. She'd read hundreds of books about travelling, dreamed of boarding the next ship out of New York and sailing for Europe or Africa or even China. Harsh realities had always put an end to this fantasy but the dreams had remained long after their first appearance. Instead of travelling physically, Belle buried herself in books. For hours she would pour over volumes thick as bricks on the mountains of Nepal or breathtaking expedition notes from explorers who'd seen the iridescent Northern Aurora. Even though she was earth-bound in this dull grey city her head remained always in the clouds, dreaming of the day when she could fly away from it all. These storage rooms weren't Peru or China but they were still a discovery, a mysterious wonderland of ornaments and memories she knew she'd take pleasure in exploring. There was a switch to her right and she hurriedly flicked it on. A faint crash echoed from above her and she froze, ears pricked for more. She frowned when nothing else reached her and shrugged. The wind had picked up that afternoon and Granny had told her often enough that the tiles atop the roof always fell during winter storms. Rubbing her hands together gleefully Belle stepped into the room, peering around at the jumble of items around her. There were grand, beautifully carved clocks, glistening tea sets of finest china, an assortment of glittering jewellery and even racks of clothes, smelling strongly of mothballs and musk. Towering shelves were stockpiled with amazing things she'd only ever seen in books, oil lamps from Persia, ceremonial weapons from France or England, mounted animals with fixed, staring eyes and once she was convinced she saw a human skull grinning out at her from the shadows of its shelf. Smiling Belle set to work, taking note of the space of the room and figuring out what the best way to move everything was. In the end it was decided that she'd remove the contents of each shelf one at a time, catalogue them and see to repairs if any were required before giving the shelves themselves a small clean. She worked meticulously, moving methodically down the shelves and glass cabinets, removing all manner of items and marking them down in large, leather bound ledgers she found hidden away in a counter that might once have been used but now sat in a corner collecting dust. She'd found a rather nice cash register on it though, elaborately fancy with brass buttons and ornate gilding. Time past by in a blur off memory, she had flown through hundreds of jewellery sets, marvelling at the gems and fine metals snaking through her fingers as she worked. She found herself wondering idly at the women who'd worn them. Perhaps they'd been married to billionaires that lost their money in the crash or perhaps they were the stolen fortunes of European heiresses, courted and betrayed by their wily American dandies. Belle had a pleasant time imagining their backstories and even more fun pouring over the odd assortment of contraptions in the room. There were hundreds of clocks and watches, dozens of wirelesses, at least three radio transmitters and she even came across a Morse code transmitter that looked as though it had seen the Great War through. Only when her stomach growled did she realised how much time had actually passed her by. She glanced at one of the watches and saw that it was nearly half past seven. She'd been in this room for six hours without even realising it. She stumbled to her feet, promising herself to return and hurrying to the elevator. She stepped inside the gilded death trap and paused. Something, call it intuition, made her peer down the corridor towards his office. The hallway was silent and she frowned as she realised, she hadn't seen the man all day. Although not unusual for him to remain tucked away it was odd that she hadn't heard him. Although far away, the blessing about these corridors were that they echoed spectacularly. You couldn't hear anything between floors but sound carried almost deafeningly through the halls themselves and not once did the office door open. She sighed and let the elevator take her downstairs. Arriving at the kitchen she was handed a plate of steaming fish chowder by Granny and forced to sit down by a flustered but stunningly made up Ruby. Suddenly Belle remembered something that had been bothering her all day.

"Mary Margret? Is she okay?" She asked and Ruby glanced warily at her grandmother who frowned.

"She's under probation. If you want you can take this up to her." Granny said and pointed to the last remaining bowl of soup on the counter. Ashley was already working according to Ruby and Granny had another 8 mouths to feed over the course of the night so Belle smile brightly and took the bowl. Balancing it carefully on a tray with a glass of water she moved to the staircase and paused on the 13th step to feel for the door Granny swore was located to her right. As luck would have it her hand fell on a knob and she twisted it, walking out into the gaudy hallway and towards Mary Margret's room. She unlocked the door and had just enough time to jump out of the way as a high heeled stiletto flew past her face and struck the opposite wall.

"Hold your fire!" She called and the startled, beautiful face of Mary Margret appeared from behind the door jamb. Her brown eyes widened in shock and then happiness as she took in her visitor and Belle braced herself for another round of extreme hugging.

"Oh Belle, you look great… thank god you're okay." Mary Margret exclaimed and Belle smiled, holding out the tray towards her.

"Dinner time." She said and Mary grimaced.

"Thanks, any chance you could squeeze in a good word for me with Gold… I mean, I understand why he'd pissed but you're up and walking now, surely that's licence for me to walk free?" Mary Margret pleaded and Belle laughed, laying a hand on the pretty brunette's shoulder. The silk robe she wore felt wonderful between Belle's fingers and she realised with a start that her digits were covered in a tough layer of callouses, much like the ones she'd felt on Robert's.

"I promise I'll ask for you. Have you been locked in here all week?" She asked, appalled, and Mary Margret nodded.

"Have you spoken to anyone?" Belle demanded and again she nodded.

"Yes, Ruby's come up to feed me a few times and Ashley did it once but mostly it was Granny." She said and Belle hugged her tightly.

"I promise to stop by again tonight, before I head to bed… but first I have to speak to Ro- I mean Mr Gold." She said and Mary Margret raised her eyebrows at her quizzically. Belle blushed and stepped away.

"I'll see you later M." she called and hurriedly closed the door in her friend's face, shamefully glad she had the power to avoid that particular conversation. She stalked down the hallway and entered the elevator, climbing up one floor to run to Gold's office.

"Robert!" She yelled and bashed upon the door. No answer greeted her and she frowned.

"Robert?" She asked, a lot softer this time but still no accented quip came her way. Worried Belle grasped the knob and turned it, stepping into a darkened room that held no sign of her tyrannical employer. The fireplace was cold and empty, as was the chair behind the desk. The spinning wheel was silent and abandoned and the only movement in the room came from her. Puzzled she stepped back out of the room and to the kitchen passageway. Wrenching it open she hurried downstairs and burst into the room to find only Granny present.

"Has Mr Gold left the building today?" She asked and Granny shook her head.

"No." She said and Belle frowned.

"Well he's not in his office." She remarked dryly and Granny froze. Gently she set her ladle down and tuned to face Belle, wiping her hands on the tea towel on the rack.

"Say that again Belle?" She asked and Belle swallowed, not liking the woman's tone or the look in her eye.

"I can't find him, I went to his office to petition him to release Mary Margret and when I got there; he wasn't there." She said and Granny pursed her lips.

"You're certain he wasn't there?" She asked and Belle nodded.

"Yes and you just said he never left the Palace." She said and Granny nodded slowly. Her face was grim and she seemed to age another ten years before Belle's eyes.

"That's because he didn't." She said and Belle blinked in confusion.

"Then where is…?"

"Belle, go to your room and stay there." Granny ordered and Belle frowned.

"Why?" She asked and she scowled. As Belle watched the old woman turned to give her a wrathful look.

"Belle, I need you to listen to me very carefully. Fill that basin over there with warm water and go to the cupboard and grab some rags." She said and Belle hurried to do her bidding, in moments she had a kettle boiling over the fire and rags aplenty in a round, tin basin. Granny was gathering herbs from the cupboard and muttering to herself. Belle found her crackling nerves becoming tenser with each passing second. Finally Granny seemed satisfied with the items she'd collected and placed them on the tray next to the now heated basin of water and the pile of rags beside it.

"Carry that upstairs for me." She ordered and Belle immediately complied, picking up the tray and carrying up the stone steps until they reached the third floor. Granny opened the door and they walked towards Gold's office, not even pausing as they crossed the threshold. Granny pulled Belle close, circling her bruised wrist with a grip of iron that made her flinched. She peered up into her face and her grey eyes were narrowed ferociously.

"What I am about to show you, you must never reveal to anyone, as long as you breath upon this earth." Granny said and Belle nodded, wrenching her arm from the woman's grasp.

"I promise." She swore and meant it. Granny seemed satisfied with her and turned to walk towards one of the panels on the wall beside Mr Gold's desk. Confused Belle followed her, gasping when Granny pressed a petal of an intricately carved wooden rose inlaid upon the oaken panel. The panel slid back and opened to reveal a tiny steel elevator.

"How is that…?" Belle began and Granny chuckled.

"This building is around 200 hundred years old; there are passageways all over the place." Granny said amusedly as Belle stared at the darkened elevator in shock. She stepped towards it and Granny grasped her shoulder, gently but firmly.

"You leave the tray outside the door, you don't open it and you don't say anything. Knock three times then pull this lever to bring yourself down. Understand?" Granny asked and Belle nodded.

"Good." She said and Belle stepped gingerly into the claustrophobic space and held her breath as it rumbled silently upwards. In stark contrast to the glistering, clattering elevator this contraption was a wicked, noiseless cage that carried her up into the highest reaches of the Palace. Her fears were intensified in the tight space and she fought to control the rising terror that stirred inside her. She trembled as it finally stopped and cautiously reached out to feel smooth wood beneath her fingers. Carefully she lowered the tray to the small ledge of stone at her feet and straightened. A faint groan reached her ears, coming from the other side of the door. Panicked, she almost ignored Granny's instructions and moved to fling the door wide. She caught herself at the last minute and snatched her hand back as though she'd touched a brand of red-hot iron. Her intuition was screaming at her to run, her nerves crackled with invisible electricity but a soft voice in the back of her mind whispered for her to stay. Her eyes widened in the dark when she realised she was on the highest level of the Palace, in the one place she'd been told never to enter… the West Wing. Unable to resist, pressed her ear against the door. A heavy silence met her ears and she called out before she could stop herself.

"Hello, is anyone there?" She asked and, not surprisingly, was met with continued silence. The air was thick with tension she could have cut with a knife and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end.

"Hello? Mr Gold, are you in there?" She demanded and this time a muffled sound reached her ears. She frowned and leaned in closer. A scrambling sound, like a weight being dragged over the floor, reached her and she knocked softly on the door.

"Robert, if you're in there please… open the door." Belle pleaded and finally a voice spoke to her through the panelling.

"Go." Was all she received and she gasped. It was his voice, but it was changed.

"Mr Gold?"

"Please… Belle, just… go." Came the painful whisper and Belle heart clenched.

"Are you hurt? Open this door, now!" She commanded and the wooden shook as something on the other side struck it. She jumped back in shock.

"GO!" He roared and she cried out in alarm. Stumbling back she grasped the level and tugged it hard, sending the elevator crashing down till it stopped with a jarring thud. She burst out and past Granny, who called out after her as she tore out of the office and down the hallway. She threw herself into the golden elevator and slammed the gates shut. As it moved upwards she began to tremble. Something was wrong with this place, something very wrong. Mr Gold had been hurt, but as to how and why she was at a lost. Why were there so many secrets in the Palace? Was she even safe here anymore? She broke out of the elevator as soon as she could. She stopped when the darkened, impassable West Wing hallway loomed to her left and wondered what she'd find waiting for her at its end. What was in that room that no one in this house was allowed to see? Her feet took a few brave steps towards it then she stopped. Taking a deep breath she decided she wasn't quite ready to find out yet and broke into a run, clambered up her ladder and threw herself onto the awaiting bed. The soft, blue comforter felt heavenly beneath her exhausted body and she sighed as a familiar screeched reached her ears. She opened her eyes to stare at Calico who was somehow perched on the edge of her desk.

"Oh Calico, what am I doing here?" She asked the robin who seemed to shrug and chirp cheerfully. Belle smiled and reached out her hand. He stared at it for a moment, considering whether she was worth his time, before hopping the slight distance between her arm and the table. She brought him close and laid him down on her pillow. Settling down on her back she gazed up at the high, raftered ceiling and sighed. Calico's beady eyes seemed to flash and she frowned.

"Just when I feel like everything is going right, it has to go so wrong… oh Calico, I miss Papa and Lettie and even Gaston a little bit, at least then everyone told the truth or let me help them." She said morosely and Calico flapped his wings lightly. She knocked his chest gently with her finger and he squawked in outrage. She smiled and stared out the window beside her, watching gentle, crystalline snowflakes filter past in a graceful wintery dance.

"Why won't anyone tell me anything? If I'm going to be staying here for the unforeseeable future it might do them some good in letting me know what's going on in this place." She told the irate avian who closed his eyes and fell asleep. Thoroughly dismissed by the arrogant bird Belle sighed and closed her own eyes. Her heart sat heavily in her chest and she felt the first pangs of sadness stir deep inside her gut. She missed her home, she missed Lettie's bookstore but most of all she missed her dear Papa. Resolving herself to the fact that she was stuck here until further notice, Belle de Boire tried to make herself comfortable. Taking down her hair and slipping into a fresh night gown she crawled beneath the beautiful covers and tried to rest. For many hours she simply lay there, trapped by her imagination and heartache until, finally, her exhaustion took over and the strangeness of the day faded into a blissful, black oblivion.

**Oh no, poor Belle, poor Gold whatever shall they do? What can I make them do is the better question? At this point people I just want to remind you of a little thing that helps motivate this story… REVIEWS! Amazing, wonderful reviews that fill me with joy and creativity. Love to all and hopefully I'll update soon. **


	9. Chapter 9

Nine:

**Wow guys, just a massive thank you to every single one of you who reviewed the last chapter, I have heard you and will endeavour to explain just a few of your questions before I move on (not too many because then this story wouldn't be worth writing): **

**For those of you who are a little worried that last chapter might be heading in a 'fairy tale' direction, please bear with me. This story is most definitely AU and everything that happens has a distinct, scientifically proven explanation. Sorry for any confusion **

**So now that that's out of the way, time for an angsty Belle/Gold chapter filled with lots of drama… because what's a good Rumbelle fic without a few of those? **

When Ruby entered the kitchen she was curious to find that only Granny was about. More often than not Belle was there preparing tea or in the process of heading upstairs to Gold's office and even sometimes Ashley was around to talk to. Now, it seemed, only the Lucas women were awake so Ruby walked over to her grandmother and carefully wrapped her arms around her frail shoulders.

"Morning Granny." She said and kissed her cheek. Elizabeth Lucas turned and smiled at her grand-daughter.

"Ruby, it's good to see that at least you're awake." She said and Ruby drew up in surprise.

"You mean Belle…"

"Hasn't come down yet? No. I'm getting a little worried, last night…" Granny broke off and Ruby felt her gut clench tightly.  
"Granny, what happened?" She asked sternly and the old woman sighed.

"Gold, he…" She began and Ruby gasped.

"Another one, but it's been months… I thought he had it under control." Ruby said and Granny shrugged.

"Apparently not." Granny said and Ruby sat down heavily in one of the stools. She bit her thumb nail absently as she fixed her gaze on one of the worn, clay tiles on the floor.

"Didn't Dr Hopper clear him in July?" Ruby asked and Granny raised her hands in mute appeal.

"I thought it was May. Ruby, Gold would never tell us whether or not Hopper cleared him; he's even less likely to tell us when." She pointed out and Ruby nodded dumbly. She pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"This is bad." Ruby muttered and Granny snorted scornfully.

"And here I was thinking we're all aboard the Good Ship Lollipop." She quipped dryly and Ruby threw her a filthy look.

"What set him off?" She asked shortly and again her grandmother shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know. Belle was the last one to see him." She said and Ruby frowned. Her eyes snapped wide and she clicked her fingers triumphantly.

"The bruises." She said and Granny quirked an eyebrow in confusion and alarm. Ruby rolled her eyes irritably, kicking herself mentally for not seeing it earlier.

"You didn't see them Granny, but I did. When Belle came in yesterday morning she had a circlet of bruises around her left wrist… apparently she was pestering him quite a bit but…" She broke off and shook her head. Granny made a distressed sound and Ruby grimaced.

"That doesn't make sense though; Gold's got more self-control than that. Not to mention, the fact that he'd never hurt Belle intentionally." She said sensibly and Granny nodded, though her brow was furrowed slightly.

"But as you said, it's been months since the last episode, we don't know if Dr Hopper has cleared him and, maybe, all the stress from New Year's affected him more than we previously thought?" Granny reasoned quietly and Ruby sighed, cupping her chin in her palm dazedly. All these months she and Granny had been living in the hope that their employer's condition had finally settled, this episode set back months of work and was probably even more devastating for the man himself. Lost in her thoughts Ruby was startled when a light hand felt on her shoulder. She jumped and swore violently at the person.

"Bloody mother- oh morning Ash." She said sheepishly as the short blonde blinked owlishly at her. A small smirk crept across the younger girl's mouth as she sat down next to Ruby, grabbing her own bowl of porridge from the group on the counter and blowing on it softly.

"So, what's got you in such a pensive mood? Don't tell me, you're studying philosophy?" She quipped and Ruby shoved her lightly.

"Oh nothing much, and it's theology actually." She retorted and Ashley sniggered. She ate a spoonful of porridge and crossed herself mock-seriously.

"Oh heaven forbid, Ruby Lucas… a nun?" Ashley cried scornfully and Granny chuckled loudly from the stove. Ruby sent her grandmother a withering glare, which the white haired woman ignored, and turned back to her friend.

"Theology covers all religions Ash, not just Catholicism… and, if I tried to become a nun, I think I'd be a bloody good one." Ruby complained stoutly making both women cackle slightly.

"Yeah right, you're a born flapper Ruby. Imagine a life with no men or booze, you'd either go insane or simply commit suicide." Ashley taunted sweetly, taking another large gulp of her breakfast and grinning cheekily in the face of Ruby's heated stare. Affronted the brunette stood and stalked to the door but, unsure as to where she could go, stopped and growled furiously at the offending portal. Ashley sniggered and turned to Granny.

"So, what actually had Ruby's knickers in a twist?" She asked and the older woman chuckled.

"Gold's taken another business trip, short notice as usual, and now Ruby's got to organise the speakeasies without him." Granny lied smoothly and Ruby nodded vigorously from her spot, her glare making the lie seem all the more legitimate. The only people in the Palace who honestly knew of Gold's 'episodes' were Granny and Ruby. Rumours sprung up amongst the ranks from time to time but no one had ever been able to confirm anything and, if Granny had her way, they never would. There was more at stake than just a man's reputation. Ashley nodded naïvely, accepting the lie.

"Damn, did he tell Belle?" She asked and Ruby spluttered.

"She knows." Granny said hurriedly and Ashley looked between the two of them curiously. A wary look entered her eye and she frowned slightly, pushing her now finished bowl towards the sink.

"Where is Belle? Usually she's here already." Ash asked expectantly and Ruby shrugged.

"I think she's slept in… I'll go fetch her." She said quickly, receiving a discreet nod from Granny and turning on her heel to walk out of the room. The elevator ride seemed slower than usual but Ruby was convinced it was simply because she was worried now about Belle. What had happened to bring this all on? The bruises, the episode and now, Belle's sleep in… The elevator came to a clanking thud at the fourth floor and Ruby stepped out cautiously. Gazing around she marvelled at the plainness of the floor. Shaking her head she wandered down the east corridor and quietly stepped onto the base of the ladder. She smiled as the sound of gentle snores reached her ears and hastily climbed up to peer around Belle's room. It was elegantly simple, sparse in decoration but exactly what she'd expected Belle's room to look like. In stark contrast to either her room or Mary Margret's, Belle's room was a dimly lit sanctuary of soft blues and sensible furnishings. The girl herself was asleep in the bed beneath a lone, curtained window, the covers pulled high over her head and a single, stockinged foot just poking out from beneath the blue comforter. She looked exactly like an exhausted child until a strange sound issued from the place where Ruby assumed her friend's head lay. Quietly she approached and saw that the robin, Calico, was sleeping on the pillow next to Belle, his head tucked into the warmth of his breast. He stirred as she approached and stared up at her, not alarmed but definitely inquisitive. As he moved Belle stirred and the comforter slipped down to reveal her sleeping face. Ruby gasped in shock and stepped back. Although Belle's eyes were tightly closed and her breathing regular, there were tears flowing down Belle's cheeks in a never ending stream of crystalline drops. Her russet curls were spread out beneath her head like a second pillow slip and as Ruby watched a single tear slipped out of the corner of her eye and slid silently down her cheek, landing in a patch of auburn that already appeared quite wet. Suddenly feeling intrusive Ruby tentatively reached out and touched Belle's shoulder. She awoke in a flash. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, her back ram-rod straight, as though the brush of fingers had been a bolt of lightning sent down her spine. A breathless gasp left her lips and she gripped Ruby's fingers in a crushing, panicked vice. Belle stared at Ruby uncomprehendingly for a full second, then a delicate blush overtook her sublime features as her dream slowly faded and reality set back in. Even half terrified and inches from sleep, Belle de Boire managed to look effortlessly pretty. Her hair had escaped its braid during the night and framed her glowing features like a russet halo. Her eyes were wide with raw emotion that made them glisten and Ruby shuddered inwardly at the memory of her own appearance in the mornings, minutely jealous. Deftly Ruby pulled her fingers from Belle's now limp hands. The girl herself sighed and slid back down into her bed, pulling the covers to her shoulders and turning away to face the wall.

"Please go away Ruby?" She asked softly, in a voice barely above a whisper. Ruby was shocked. This was not the Belle she knew and by god she wasn't going to let this imposter stay very long.

"Belle, what's wrong? Do you feel unwell?" Ruby asked and sat down hurriedly on the bed, placing her hand on Belle's shoulder comfortingly. Belle flinched but otherwise stared resolutely at the wall.

"No, I just don't feel like working today... I'm a bit tired." She said lamely and Ruby gaped at her stubbornly turned back in dismay.

"Belle, what's wrong?" She repeated and the girl shrugged, stretching out a hand and running a finger down Calico's back. The robin chirped and hopped excitedly on the bed, peering at each girl as she spoke as though following the conversation himself. Belle giggled slightly before sobering quickly and letting out her breath in a heavy rush.

"Ruby, please make my excuses to Granny and Mr Gold… I just can't get out of bed today." She said and Ruby rubbed her face exasperatedly.

"Belle you can't just…"

"Can't I? If Mr Gold really needs me, I'll come down but until then… you know where to find me." Belle murmured; her voice a neutral monotone. After that she refused to say another word until finally, defeated, Ruby rose from the bed and exited the tower. She pelted to the elevator, stumbling slightly on her heels, and cursed the slow contraption continuously until it reached the ground floor. She tore across the atrium and burst into the kitchen where Granny whirled around at the sudden interruption.

"Ruby? What's wrong?" She demanded and Ruby paused.

"Belle, she won't get out of bed… what the bloody hell happened last night?" Ruby shouted and her grandmother flinched as though the words had been actual blows. The expression on her face was one of pure guilt and Ruby swallowed tightly. Ashley had long since sought her room and the ground floor was apparently empty of people apart from themselves. Granny shifted uncomfortably and sighed, running a hand over her sweating brow and setting her cooking utensils down.

"Belle went to give Mary Margret her dinner, then went upstairs to find Mr Gold… god only knows why. Anyway, the poor dear found his office empty and came back down here, asking for him." Granny said slowly and Ruby felt the re-clenching of her stomach actually make the damn thing sink like a lead weight to the soles of her feet.

"Go on." She breathed hoarsely and Granny groaned.

"I said I hadn't seen him and apparently she'd hadn't seen him leave the office all day. I realised he must have either gone upstairs for his work or… well, you know." Granny said and Ruby nodded.

"You were gone and the only person around was Belle, so I prepared the drafts and took it up to the office. I told her to leave it at the top of the elevator but when she came back down, it was like the devil himself were chasing her." Ruby's grandmother heaved a large sigh and Ruby felt sick. Oh god, this was worse than she'd thought. She stared at her grandmother in horror.

"Did she… see anything?" Ruby asked and Granny shrugged, her face a mask of concern.

"I have no idea Ruby. Did Belle say why she's acting like this?" Granny asked and Ruby nodded.

"She said she was tired. I don't know if that's the whole truth but I think it's safe to assume she didn't sleep well last night." Ruby explained and Elizabeth nodded.

"Anything else?" She asked and Ruby shook her head.

"She told me to make excuses to you and Mr Gold… but-" Ruby broke off. Her temples were throbbing a little now so she rubbed them frustratedly.

"So she wasn't upset about Gold?" Granny asked and Ruby threw her hands up in the air.

"How the hell should I know, the girl had her back turned to me the whole time." She exploded and Elizabeth clucked disapprovingly. Ruby sobered and raised her gaze heavenward, praying for patience.

"I don't know, I'd say it's a part of it but really, I was picking up something else as well… it's not just last night. I think there's another reason she doesn't want to do anything." Ruby said and Granny nodded solemnly. The two Lucas women fell into a steady silence and tried to think of the best way to deal with the Belle-situation.

"She may not stay there all day Granny." Ruby said hopefully and her grandmother nodded, turning back to the slowly boiling pot.

"Hm, it's definitely the best case scenario." She murmured and Ruby nodded, not wanting to contemplate the worst. As she turned to leave she swore she heard her grandmother speaking.

"Idiots, both of them." Ruby spun to say something but thought better of it at the last second. Intuition told her to leave it be and so she did. Taking her curiosity to bed, she walked out of the kitchen and out to the elevator. On the second floor she passed Mary's room and whispered a quick hello through the keyhole. She filled in what details she could about the situation.

"I know why she was looking for him." Mary Margret said when Ruby was done and Ruby frowned at the door, as though seeking to pierce it and see her best friend's beautiful brown eyes.

"Really? Why?" Ruby demanded and Mary sighed.

"For me… she was going to ask him to let me out." She said and Ruby chuckled.

"That sounds more like Belle." She admitted and Mary laughed half-heartedly. They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

"How long is Gold gone for this time?" Mary Margret asked and Ruby groaned.

"I have absolutely no idea… maybe a week." She said and something thumped against the door, presumably Mary's forehead.

"You mean I'm stuck in here for another week?" She demanded and Ruby chuckled.

"I doubt that Mr Gold would mind if you somehow, got your hands on a key and went for a wak… as long as you stayed in the building and returned each night to you room." Ruby suggested and Mary Margret laughed.

"You think?" she asked and Ruby nodded, forgetting her friend couldn't see her.

"Oh, uh yes… Belle has a key." Ruby said and yawned widely, the full night's work finally catching up with her. Mary Margret laughed.

"Go on, get some sleep. It's not as if I'm going anywhere anytime soon." She quipped disdainfully. Ruby patted the door softly and said her goodbye. She turned and continued down the corridor until she reached her own room. Pushing the door open she smiled as the familiar red and black colour theme met her gaze. She closed the door behind her and dimmed the lamp even further, until it once again mirrored the nigh. With a sigh she stripped off her suffocating black dress, kicked off her high heeled shoes, shimmied out of her slip and suspenders before crawling beneath her covers and closing her eyes. She tried to stay awake and worry about things but her mind was too tired to cope. Soon she was on the border of sleep then she relaxed and fell into nothingness.

OoOoOoO

Belle was tired. No, tired wasn't even close to a good enough name for how she felt at that moment. She was beaten, drained, entirely done in. Her heart felt like it was made out of the solid grey-stone that built the Palace; it was a pressing weight in her chest that ached every time she moved. When Ruby had left Belle had remained in her silent, still state, unable and entirely unwilling to move or speak. Her body was numb but her heart felt raw. To be honest she wasn't quite sure why she was like this. Being tired was an excellent label to put on, even if it wasn't an accurate one. The night's events had only a little to do with it, she felt hurt and betrayed that no one trusted her enough to tell her that something was wrong. Belle wasn't niave, she knew Gold would rather pull out his own teeth than admit he was anything other than perfectly healthy, but she'd thought that at least over the last week they'd grown close enough that he knew she could be trusted to help him. His rejection shook the foundations of what she herself was. Was she a friend, a caretaker or just someone he was using for now before moving onto the next desperate case he found walking the streets? She ran a hand over her cheeks to find that they were wet and scowled blackly at the wall. Crying, over something as stupid as this? She shook her head in dismay. If Robert had shaken her foundations then Ruby was another story all together. Anger was an unusual emotion for Belle de Boire but she realised that was exactly what she was feeling towards the confident, brunette bar tender. For two weeks she been in this house, and for two weeks she'd believed that her new friends would feel it necessary to tell her about certain things. Ruby it would seem had found it prudent to neglect telling her about apparently intergral parts of life here in the Palace. To be fair, it was likely that for some of it she hadn't been able to tell, but the fact of the matter was that she hadn't even given her a warning; instead she pretended that everything was fine and dandy. The anger motivated Belle to finally move and she slowly crawled out of bed and stood in the centre of her room, looking around the cozy tower loft calculatingly. She met her own gaze in the mirror's surface and pulled a face. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her face was tear stained, the whole mess was surrounded by a bird-nest worthy tangle of curls and Belle felt her self-esteem sink once again. The bruises around her eye and temple had faded but their slight discolouration made her face seemed off-balance. Casually, she reached behind herself and undid the buttons at the back of her shift, allowing it to slid off her shoulders and pool in a soft pile at her ankles. Her stockings were next and when she finally saw her entire body, visibly naked for the first time in over a year, she shuddered. Although the bruises had faded on her face, the ones on her chest where still vivid against her skin. She pressed a particularly nasty one just below her left breast and screwed up her nose with distaste.

"Ugly." She announced to the silent room and turned to look back at Calico who was now wide awake and fluttering weakly across the bed.

"What do you think Calico? Do I go downstairs and join the masses?" Belle asked and the robin chirped cheerfully. She frowned and turned back to the mirror. She tugged at a stray strand of hair and twirled it thoughtfully around her index finger.

"Alright then." Belle said bracingly and moved to pull on her brassiere, woollen stockings and navy dress from the trunk at the foot of her bed. She clutched at her hair brush and pulled it leisurely through her mess of hair, wincing when it struck knots. In a fit of frustration she flung it across the room where it struck one of the stones. To her surprise the stone gave way beneath the blow and a door swung silently open, just large enough to admit one person. She stared at it in shock. Another passageway? If this house was over 200 years old then it stood to reason that it would be filled with weird corridors and secret passages. The lead weight that was her heart lifted slightly at the prospect of adventure and she stood to move to the door. It was pitch black inside but she could see an uneven set of worn stone stairs, much like the one that lead to the kitchens, spiralling away into the darkness. She bit her lip and peered behind herself once. Calico chirped warningly from the bed and she walked back to him, scooped him up and placed him gently on her shoulder.

"Alright my little protector, shall we go?" Belle asked him and the little red breasted bird screeched. She smiled and cautiously stepped down onto the first stone step. With one hand pressed to the slimy stone wall Belle carefully descended the stairs until, with a sudden jolt, the landing appeared. She couldn't see a thing in the pitch black space and so, with her arms held out before her, warily made her way forwards. A loud scurrying about her feet made her aware of the mice or rats that dwelled in the musty corridor and she bit her lip to stop herself from screaming out. Calico was subdued and Belle could feel his little body trembling against her neck. Her own unease multiplied but she pressed on. She stubbed her toes against a raised partition of the floor that turned out to be the base of yet another set of stairs. This time Belle moved confidently upwards, ignoring the feeling that she was trespassing and actually enjoying the rebellion. Her hand fell on a smooth stone wall and she realised that she'd reached the end of her journey. She fiddled around in the dark for a latch or lever but couldn't find a way past. Why would someone make a passageway that lead to a dead end? She tried pressing the stones and even scratched at the mortar to see if it triggered a response. Nothing happened. Disheartened and backtracked carefully down the stairs and along the corridor. She all but ran up the stairs and slammed the surprisingly light door behind her. Calico had stopped shivering and now hoped down from her shoulder to the table. Belle stooped and picked up the brush from the floor and placed it on the desk. She ran a hand over her face and sighed heavily. She suddenly felt extremely alone. Whenever she'd felt alone or unhappy, there had always been someone she loved or trusted around to talk to. Lettie had always had an open door for Belle and Papa had at least tried to listen to her, when he wasn't at work or drowning in his drinks. Belle moved to the trapdoor in the floor and slid down the ladder, landing with a soft bump on the floor. She moved unhurriedly down the corridor and even sauntered into the elevator. Leaning against the gilded metal she rolled her neck gingerly as she stepped out into the atrium and moved to the kitchen corridor.

"Morning Granny!" She called cheerfully and the old lady spun around to gasp in surprise.

"Belle? I thought you were staying in your room today?" Granny said confusedly and Belle smiled thinly. Shaking her head she moved around the kitchen, lazily preparing herself a cup of tea. Leisurely she hoisted a black-bottomed kettle over the fireplace and waited for it to boil. As this happened she placed her three sugar into the base of a dainty, china cup then, when the kettle whistled cheerfully, poured a liberal amount of tea over the top. She allowed it to steep for a few moments before adding a dash of milk. Sitting down on one of the remaining stools she sipped it quietly, gazing over the rim towards Granny who was watching her warily from her usual station by the stove. To her disappointment it was nowhere near as good as the ones Robert prepared for her and after only a few sips she placed it down on the table, bring her elbow to rest on the counter she rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

"I thought about it, I wasn't feeling well." Belle replied finally and Granny bit her lip.

"Belle, about last night?" She began and Belle smiled.

"What about it? Has Mr Gold come down yet… i need to apologise for being so late." Belle remembered suddenly and Granny shook her head.

"Never mind that dear, he's gone." She said simply and Belle gasped.

"Gone?" She asked and Granny nodded.

"Left this morning on a business trip. You have to remember that he's a rather busy man dear, he does what he wants whenever the time suits him. He should be back in a few days." The white haired woman murmured and Belle nodded dumbly. The weight in her chest increased about tenfold and she sank down into her seat.

"Are you alright dear? Ruby told me you two had a fight?" She said and Belle frowned.

"Oh no, Ruby just found me at a bad time." She explained and Granny chuckled lightly.

"Not with Ruby Belle, Mr Gold." She said patiently and Belle felt her cheeks flood with colour.

"No, everything's fine." She said stoutly and rubbed at her wrist lightly, feeling the slight twinge. Granny gave her a disbelieving stare which Belle held out under for a few moments before sighing.

"I just wanted to apologise… I pushed him a little over the top and he bruised my wrist. It was my fault but he seemed so torn up about it. Now he's gone and I won't have a chance to make it up to him." Belle moaned softly and Granny Lucas smiled.

"Oh dear Belle." She teased and Belle shrugged, her already heated cheeks becoming twin furnaces on her face.

"I'd better go." She said swiftly and hoped off the stool to walk to the door. Grabbing her cleaning supplies from the cupboard she moved out into the atrium and began to work.

OoOoOoO

Knock. Knock. The rapid taps on the front doors made Belle look up from where she was bent over one of the tables in the club room, cloth in hand and polish in the other. With a small frown she put them down and stepped out into the sparkling atrium. A small, familiar face peered at her from behind the bars and she let out a breathless chuckle.

"My dear Sir Henry, what brings you to his place?" She asked and moved to stand in front of the door, peering out at the small boy who grinned at her. Under his arm was the book she'd seen him carrying on New Year's Eve and her hand was already fishing into her pocket to pull out the key before she registered what she was doing. He was just a little boy, what harm could it possibly do? She reasoned with herself. Not to mention, she was lonely and in this mood any break from the monotonous cleaning would be a blessing. Shaking away her doubts she opened the door, unlocked the bars and wrenched them apart just enough for Henry to squeeze through. He threw his arms around her waist and Belle embraced him tightly. She crouched down to meet his gaze, tweaking his nose fondly and chuckling when he frowned.

"What can I help you with?" She asked and he blushed, shuffling his feet slightly.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you again." HE said and Belle cocked her head to look at him curiously.

"Does your Mum know you're here?" She asked and Henry nodded. Belle snorted.

"No she doesn't… I'll call her and let her know where you are so she doesn't worry." Belle said and Henry's face fell.

"Please don't, she'll only be more worried. If she knew I was here, she'd never let me out of her sight again." Henry complained bitterly and Belle's heart was torn. On the one hand she knew Emma would feel betrayed if Belle didn't let her know where her precious son was but on the other hand Henry's visit had brightened her miserable day and she was selfish enough to want him to stay… consequences be damned. Henry's eyes had taken on the pleaded puppy-like look that had Belle's will-power crumbling like charred paper. She sighed then smiled at Henry who grinned broadly and wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Thanks Belle!" He said and she laughed.

"No… thank you." She whispered and he drew back to look at her oddly. She shrugged and stood.

"Come on, we'll get you a hot chocolate and then you can tell me what you've been up to." She said and he jumped excitedly. They walked into the now deserted kitchen and Belle hurriedly made up the hot chocolate. With a smile she watched as the boy placed his beloved book down on the bench to take a huge gulp of the steaming drink, leaving a giant ring of chocolate smeared around his mouth. She shook her head bemusedly and walked out of the kitchen to restart her work in the club room. Henry followed and she smiled slightly when he exhaled sharply as they entered the room.

"Whoa! What is this place?" Henry asked as he stared around the enormous room and Belle frowned, her hands on her hips as she surveyed the surrounding mess.

"My job." She muttered tersely and picked up the polish and cloth she'd abandoned moments ago. Rubbing the table down she looked over at Henry who now perched happily on one of the oriental poufs drinking his hot chocolate.

"So, what has the valiant Sir Henry been accomplishing since last we met?" Belle asked and he shrugged, swirling the mug distractedly.

"Mum's been really busy so I've just been hanging around the station… its really boring sometimes." He said and Belle sniggered quietly.

"Not everything is fun and games but I say that trying to make the best of every situation has its own perks." She told him and Henry looked at her curiously.

"What do you do when you're bored?" He asked and Belle chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully.

"I have always loved to read. I simply love books." She said and Henry's eyes brightened.

"Really? I do too." He said excitedly and Belle smiled happily.

"There was this bookshop near my old house, it was run by a woman called Lettie Knolls. She used to give me free range of all the books in there and I'd take five or even six sometimes then, when I'd finished them, return them and trade them in for another five… oh how I loved that shop." She said and Henry held out his own book.

"I like going to the library. Sometimes I head to the park and play with Ava and Nicholas but most of the time… people think I'm weird so they stay away." He said and Belle stopped scrubbing the table to look at him.

"Are you weird?" She asked and he frowned.

"No." He said and Belle shrugged sadly.

"Mores the pity, I don't associate myself with normal people… they're ever so dull." She said and Henry grinned.

"Really?" He asked and she nodded.

"Even… even if they don't have fathers?" He asked and Belle felt her heart break for the wide eyed boy beside her. She put down her cleaning cloth and hugged him tightly.

"Especially when they don't have fathers… I don't have a mother, so I think that makes us kind of the same." Belle said softly and Henry nodded against her chest. She pulled back and stroked his cheek softly. Henry frowned suddenly and looked at her through half-squinted eyes.

"Why are you here Belle? Graham said this place is not for women like you." He said and Belle stared at him in shock.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked and Henry looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Graham and Mum were talking on the way back from here. My Mum was trying to figure out a way to get you home but Graham said that sooner or later you'd find your own way. He said 'Belle's not the one to stand around and let fate have its way, she might need a hand from time to time but she doesn't belong in that place.'" Henry recited dutifully and Belle pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"How interesting, what do you think?" She asked and Henry shrugged.

"It doesn't matter what I think, children are to be seen… not heard." He said and the dismal way he spoke made Belle remember her own days at school when the same nonsense was spewed from the teachers mouths like rainwater from gutter pipes. She moved onto a particularly stubborn stain on one of the tables and attacked it with vigour.

"Henry, the people who change the world are the ones who never let someone else tell them what to do. If you have something to say, you say it and you never let anyone tell you not to… do you hear me?" She demanded and fixed him with a stern glare that made him bite his lip.

"Do you let people tell you what to do?" He asked and Belle nodded.

"All the time but I'm not going to change the world Henry. Your Mum is one of those people though. Every day she defies the expectations of everyone, including herself, and you could be just as great if you tried." Belle told him softly and he frowned.

"Belle, is Mr Gold nice to you?" he asked and Belle pulled up short, startled. She pulled a face and moved onto the next table.

"Mr Gold is… Mr Gold." She said simply and chuckled at the perplexed look on Henry's face.

"Sir Henry, you seem to be under the impression that I'm a helpless maiden under the lock and key of a monstrous beast." She quipped and he shrugged.

"Not helpless but you are under lock and key and he's not a good man." Henry said slowly and Belle frowned. Again with the whole 'not a good man business'.

"The thing about people is that, generally, we all make mistakes." She said and Henry picked up the book. He gazed at it's plain black cover and then at her.

"It's all in here." He said proudly and handed it to her carefully. She opened the pages cautiously and flicked through dozens of files and newspaper clips on Al Capone, his gang members, a woman called Regina Mills, several other gangland criminals and finally, to her surprise, Robert. She stared down at the page before her and cocked her head slightly. There were a few indescript articles involving fraudulent dealings he'd been a part of on Wall St, a few copied police files on supposed deals between Robert and Regina and many other slips of paper that loosely incriminated her employer. Belle read a few of them before turning give Henry a stern look.

"Everyone knows about Mr Gold Henry, he's involved in deal-making and pawn-brokering which, in this town, are sure fire ways to make people hate you. I could safely assume he's had run ins with people on Wall St but a lot of these articles are really heresay and circumstance." She said softly. To be honest she didn't know why she was defending the arrogant sod, it wasn't as if he were here to know whether or not she was loyal to him. Shaking her head she peered down at the mountain of articles and smiled slightly at a blurred picture of Robert, dated back to around 1916. He was standing, rather stiffly, in a group of men all dressed in identical uniforms. Army uniforms she realised with a start and peered closer.

"I didn't know he was in the army though." She said to Henry who nodded brightly and moved to sit beside her. He pointed to the group and licked his lips.

"He was part of a Scottish regiment, I can't remember which one, but that man there… that's his son, Baelfire." He said and Belle's stomach dropped in surprise.

"That's Baelfire?" She breathed and peered in close to see the pale faced man that stood beside his father. They were quiet similar, both tall and thin but where Robert seemed to shrink away slightly from the camera and his fellow soldiers, Baelfire seemed to glow proudly in his spotless uniform. Belle traced their faces and realised that her vision was blurring slightly. She remembered what Granny had said only yesterday morning, that Baelfire's absence had made Robert into the recluse he was today and wondered at the reasons behind his leaving. The two had their arms around each other and Belle smoothed the photo gently. She looked over at Henry to see the boy smirking at her.

"You have the same look my Mum gets when she thinking about Graham." He said and Belle blushed, drawing herself upright.

"What's that?" She asked, affronted, and Henry sniggered. He jumped up and ran to one of the raised platforms that held the silver poles, hopping up onto one and throwing her a taunting smile. Belle followed him, arms crossed and her quizzical brows lifted. He grinned at her then turned to look at the pole in confusion.

"What are these?" He asked and Belle peered at the poles, inwardly debating on how best she was going to answer the question. It had only been recently that she herself had been made aware of exactly how the poles were used but trying explain their purpose to a ten year old boy without damaging him was a difficult endeavour.

"There for dancing." She said finally and he frowned at her. She sighed and hoisted her skirts, stepping up onto the platform beside him. She slid one of her hands down the pole's length and shivered slightly. Turning to face Henry she smirked and twirled around it, swinging out and laughing as the head rush made her giddy.

"See, like that." She said and Henry frown deepened.

"Why would you want to dance like that?" He asked and Belle opened her mouth to answer but was cut across by a sharp voice from the door.

"Because wants and needs are very different things Henry Swan." Belle whirled to see Ruby standing in the door, flanked by Ashley and Granny who both looked at her in a mixture of shock and amusement. She shrank back and placed a steady hand on Henry's shoulder. Her smile slid off her face and she gazed at the trio coldly.

"Oh hello Ruby." She said and Henry waved awkwardly. Ruby ignored her and fixed her attention on Henry.

"Your mother know where you are?" She asked sharply and Henry shook his head.

"I think it might be a good idea for you to go find her then." Ruby said and Belle glared at her friend. Granny started slightly and stepped forward.

"Is that my cocoa I see?" She asked and pointed to the ring around Henry's mouth. The boy hurriedly wiped at his jaw and Belle smiled, crouching down and wiping the majority of it off. Henry looked guilty as all sin and Belle clamped a hand on his shoulder. She winked at him and they both stepped down from the platform. Belle approached the three women and, firmly ignoring Ruby, directed her speech in Granny's direction.

"Henry was just visiting." She said and Granny nodded. She reached out and laid a gentle hand on Henry's cheek. She looked up at Belle and smiled.

"You do know that Mr Gold doesn't appreciate strangers in the Palace right?" She asked and Belle shrugged.

"He's not here though is he?" She muttered and Ruby sent her grandmother a quick glance that Belle found somewhat disconcerting. Evidently there were more secrets about this house and Belle had just about had enough of them. She scowled blackly at them and pulled Henry to her in a close hug.

"Look here Henry, I think we'll have to cut todays visit short but feel free to come back… I'm not inclined to head out much these days." She said and Henry nodded.

"Alright, thanks for the hot chocolate Belle." He said and she nodded. Together they walked to the atrium and Belle opened the door again to let him out. Thankfully the sun was out and the temperature milder than it had been over the last few days so Belle didn't feel too guilty in expelling the boy into the cold. She blew him a kiss and he blushed. Waving goodbye to her and tucking his beloved book under his arm, he walked off towards the tram lines and she watched until he was out of sight before stepping back into the Palace and locking all the doors. She could feel three pairs of eyes on her back and whirled to face the three of them. Her furious expression made the trio step back and when she spoke Belle knew she was inches away from losing her temper.

"If anyone else is inclined to ruin my day further, please go right ahead since it appears I have nothing better to do than scrap filthy stains off tables and mop this bloody floor!" She spat and Ruby's cheeks blanched. Ashley stared at her in shock and stepped forward.

"Belle, what's wrong?" She asked and her sincerity made Belle's anger fizzle slightly.

"Why don't you ask them Ash, they seem to know everything that goes on in this place?" She muttered and, lifting her chin a notch, stepped past the thunderstruck trio to the club room. She turned to grasp the double door handles and glared at them.

"Granny, don't bother making me lunch… I'm heading upstairs after this and I don't want to be disturbed." She said and slammed the doors shut in their startled faces. Belle stared at the closed portals for a full five seconds before the reality of what she'd just done crashed onto her like a tidal wave. She backed away from the entrance and collapsed into one of the chairs.

"Great job Belle." She muttered and buried her face in her hands. In despair she sat and steeped in misery before picking herself up and numbly setting the room to its former glory. When she was done she snuck out into the atrium and caught the elevator up to the third floor. When she arrived at the storage rooms she let out her sigh of relief. Here, amongst the memories and belongings of others, she could lose herself. Methodically she rummaged through the shelves; taking things out, marking them down, giving them a clean and returning them to a neater position. Soon her mind began to wander and she lost track of time, allowing the mind-numbing work to wield its magic.

OoOoOoO

"Is that so?... Yes, thank you." Regina said into the phone and nonchalantly placed it back into its cradle. The man Gaston watched drowsily as she pressed her fingers into a steepled point and stared at him over their tops. He straightened slightly and tried to pay attention. His blue eyes were bleary and his hair tousled in an unmistakeable fashion. Her lip curled in repulsion. Let it be always known that men were abhorrent and the world would be better off without the damn things. She was brought back to the present by Gaston who coughed and tried to speak.

"Who was t-that?" He asked dazedly and she waved her hand airily.

"No one important, but the news they have to tell me is." She said and Gaston straightened.

"Is it about Belle?" He asked hurriedly and Regina shrugged.

"Not directly but it does give us a window of opportunity, however brief that is." She said and stood. Moving to the window she gazed out on the glittering isle of Manhattan and felt the familiar longing return to her. Queen of Brooklyn she may be but Gold was King of Manhattan. Nothing went on in the city without his knowledge and the resources he had at his disposal were enough to make Regina physically green with envy. Her own little patch of river-side turf was nothing compared to his glittering kingdom, her limitations were laughably tangible whereas his seemed almost non-existent. She turned to face Gaston and tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Gold is out of town." She said finally and Gaston perked up.

"Where to?" He asked and Regina once again waved her hand dismissing the matter entirely. Her source had said that Gold had left that morning for business and would be gone for a few days. What excellent timing. It was just the right time to enact her latest plan.

"It's unimportant, the only important thing about this matter is that with him out of the way, you are free to steal into the Palace and find your precious Belle." Regina said and Gaston gaped at her.

"It's that easy?" He asked and Regina snorted.

"Of course not, she still contracted to work Gold and if I know him, which I do, he's got her locked into that deal tighter than a miser stores his coins. Even if you do find her, you won't be able to get her out without Gold hunting the two of you down. No this is a reconnaissance mission." She said and his blank gaze made her eyes roll irritably.

"It's a scouting mission idiot!" She said and he started.

"Oh yes, I know that." He said and she sighed heavily. Evidently it was going to be a lot harder to bring down Gold that she'd originally thought. But her plan was in motion and soon it wouldn't matter a great deal if the fool knew what reconnaissance meant or not.

"Anyway, when you see her… give her this." Regina said and handing him a small box. He cracked the lid and his eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful necklace inside.

"What is it?" He asked and Regina smiled.

"Diamonds. For your Belle." She murmured and watched as Gaston greedily tucked them into his pocket.

"Why would you give me this?" He asked and Regina smiled.

"You need to win her over, convince her that no matter how kind Gold might have been, if he has been at all, her loyalty should lie with her family and friends on the outside." She said and Gaston nodded.

"When she sees this she'll know we're meant to be together." He said and Regina smirked. Oh yes, that was exactly what it meant.

"Indeed, what woman would refuse such a gift? When you find her give it to her and make sure she's wearing it before you leave." She said firmly and Gaston nodded. He scrambled to his feet. The handsome man was rather unsteady as he stood but his eyes had lost some of their blear and Regina knew that in a few hours she'd be ready to tackle this part of their plan. She wrote out the address and handed it to Gaston who stuffed the slip of paper uncaringly into the opposite pocket. Regina sneered.

"Remember idiot, when you've given it to her… make sure you mention her father's sickness and how worried everyone is for her. Make her feel as though she owes no loyalty to Gold." Regina reminded him and Gaston nodded.

"Yes, I will remember." He said and Regina nodded. She rubbed her hands together and sat down at her desk. She pulled a few papers towards her and smirked. She began to write then paused. Looking up she gave Gaston a frigid glare.

"What are you still doing here?" She demanded and he started. Leaping away from the chair he'd just vacated he backed away, stumbling a little down the stairs and out of sight. Shaking her head in disgust Regina bent back over her work and smiled. Soon Robert Gold's little paradise would get the wakeup call it deserved and she, Regina Mills, would be the one to bring down the most feared man in all of New York City. Her lips curved into a dangerous smile and she began to laugh. High ringing cackles that echoed throughout the building and made the hairs stand up on the backs of her men downstairs. Regina pulled herself together and settled back into her seat. She licked her lips and smiled maliciously into thin air. The end game was in sight, time was all she needed now and really, what else did she have but time.

"You played your move Gold, now it's mine turn." She muttered and stood. Moving back to the window she leaned against the sill and stared out over the Hudson as night once again fell over New York City.

**Dun, dun, dunnnnn! Here we go people. One more semi-depressing chapter ahead (I'm sorry for those of you who think I kind of downplayed the whole angst in this one but I'm not overly brilliant at writing about stupid drama that can be so easily resolve by acting like rational human beings and actually talking to one another) okay a little bit of a rant but that's okay. Please review and let me know what you thought, as always I cheers me to know when you like or dislike something so I can change it. **


	10. Chapter 10

Ten:

**So this chapter is a little on the weirder side but nothing I'm sure you guys weren't expecting. I really hope you like it. Perspective changes a bit in this one but we haven't heard from Gold in a while so I decided that the whole first part could be devoted to him and the second to Belle. Now, enough from me… enjoy my lovelies. **

The Dark One was back. Robert could feel him pushing at the boundary of his consciousness and fought desperately to keep it at bay. It taunted him and bullied him, fought savagely then retreated to lull him into a false sense of security but Robert had been through all this before. Never before had any of his episodes triggered such a fast response nor had they expelled so much rage. The Dark One would bide its time, either until Robert was too tired to hold off or he simply gave up trying to hold it back. The barrier he'd erected between his two consciousnesses had thinned drastically over the past months, during a long period when he hadn't needed it, and now he was paying the price.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" He pleaded to the silent room and buried his face into his hands. The effort it took to control his mental actions was astronomical and Robert could feel it slipping as he maintained his quiet vigil by the door. Belle. Dear god, why had she come up here? Why had Mrs Lucas bring her up here last night? It wasn't safe, even on a good day. Looking around the room he saw the torn covers and pillow innards scattered across the grey stone floor. The bed itself was skewed and the mattress had been ripped apart. He rubbed his face tiredly. Definitely not safe. He sighed. He was simply too tired to maintain the front against his other self and finally, much to the monsters delight, relaxed. The pain was less intense this time and although he writhed against the wall feeling the familiar throws of the change wracking his body, the transition was far less agonising and far easier than it had been the first time around. As per usual, he thought dismally as he was banished into the back of his own mind. The Dark One stretched and then stood, pushing off the wall with hands comprising of broken nails and bandaged palms, before striding to stand in the centre of the room. It gazed around and chuckled. Robert scowled inwardly and that only set the bastard off again.

"Oh Robert, I'd apologise for breaking your toys but we both know I wouldn't mean it." The words spilt from Robert's mouth and Robert growled.

"_True, you always were a bastard… I'd expect nothing less." _He said thinly and the creature gasped in mock outrage even going so far as to press a hand to the area of its chest directly above its heart. It then moved to crouch by the overturned table. It dabbed bravely at one of the many spilt concoctions and brought the substance contemptuously to its nose to smell.

"Hm, I would have gone the laudanum rather than morphine." It muttered and Robert swore violently.

"_Yes, thank you for that… now I'm back about 6 months." _He snapped angrily and the Dark One smirked. Smugly the beast stood up and moved to the door. In a rushed panic Robert put as much of his influence into his limbs as was possible in this state and 'their' body froze on the spot. Stuck mid-stride, the Dark One growled.

"Really Robert, so stubborn… something you don't want me to see out there, or perhaps… someone?" He taunted but Robert refused to let up his control.

"Fine, I'll stay here. Just remember it was _you _who hurt her, not me." It retorted smartly and Robert faltered. His control slipped and the creature sprung for the door and wrestled with the knob.

"_You swore." _Robert yelled and the creature froze. With a bellowed curse it flung itself back and slammed its fist into the wall. Robert winced as the stone cracked beneath the Dark One's fury and knew instinctively that the hand was broken.

"_Happy now?" _He asked dryly and the creature sniggered.

"Very. I don't have to deal with it." It retorted mockingly and Robert cursed. Truer words had never been spoken. While in this particular state his body was, as far as he'd ever been able to tell, in a state of hyper ability. His pain receptors were blocked while under its thrall and, after much internal hypothesis, Robert had concluded that the muscles trains throughout his body and the synapses that lined them were more relaxed allowing the chemical messages to slid through completely uninhibited. Thus, he was not only faster in his synaptic response time and stronger than ever but unable to feel pain when his body pushed itself past humane lengths. He also speculated that it was this blocking of pain that gave his body it's enhanced capabilities, as was originally intended, but the reason was probably more psychological than physical. Without the fear of injury none of the brain's habitual fail safe messages were sent out to muscles which would usually contract to avoid the actual blow and so all the force of a movement was behind his actions… hence the added strength.

"You think too much Gold, it's rather endearing." The Dark One muttered and moved to languidly drape itself over the remains of the mattress. It crossed his legs and rested them on top of the foot board while it sprawled lazily across the bed, reclining against the torn mattress with his hands behind its head. Robert sneered and ignored the quip.

"_So, now you've got time to kill but nothing to do, what do you plan on doing?" _Robert asked and the Dark One waved a hand indolently.

"Whatever I want Robert, whatever I-" He broke off and Robert froze. A faint scratching could be heard from the wall across from the bed and Robert felt his figurative gut clench. It was the second time they'd heard those sounds and Gold realised that Belle had finally found the passageway between their rooms.

"Oh naughty Robert, did you intend for her to find it… rather poetic don't you think?" The creature asked languidly.

"_Shut up! You think this is funny?" _

"Uh… yes." The Dark one said and Robert felt his facial features forming into a perfect 'well-of-course' expression. He struggled for control. There was a fault to this; he could only control one function of his 'other personality', as Dr Hopper had called the Dark One after their single session about five or so years ago. Either the body stopped or the voice and right now it was imperative that Belle not know that he was still here. So he clamped down on the voice and the Dark one visibly growled even though no sound escaped its lips. It threw itself off the bed and stalked to the wall. It toyed with a circular stone set at about waist height, the button that would swing the door open and reveal them to Belle, and Robert panicked. Through the wall both could hear something moving and Robert prayed desperately that it was rats.

"Damn this building." It was Belle and Robert's knees would have buckled if it weren't for the fact that his body wasn't actually under his control.

"_You could stop me." _The Dark One taunted, manipulating the smooth stone teasingly, and Robert bulked at the thought of releasing the monster's voice.

"_No." _He said and the creature shrugged.

"_Let me talk to her, you could make sure I don't open the door and I can finally have a little chat with our Belle." _It said innocently and Robert shook his head.

"_No. Why do you care?" _

"_Why do you? She's just a Bronx girl, nothing overly special about her… why should you care if she runs into us or not?" _The voice was sickly sweet, trying to wheedle information and Robert caved.

"_Fine, but… behave." _

"_Don't I always?" _It quipped and Robert didn't even lend it the dignity of an answer. Regretfully he relented his control over the beast's mouth and their body froze.

"Come on Calico." Belle said as the creature spoke.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" It asked and Robert jumped. The voice that issued from the creatures mouth was not his usual voice but a strange, high pitched warble. It was a distinct, unstable falsetto and Robert hated it. Thankfully however, it also meant that his voice was utterly unrecognisable.

"Hello?" Belle was back, her voice closer now. Robert could almost see her now, pressed up against the slimy wall, eager to hear the mysterious voice through the wall.

"What's your name girlie?" The beast asked.

"Belle, Belle de Boire. Who are you?" She asked and Robert knew he was going to have to have a chat to her about giving out her name to strangers.

"I don't go by any name that you would like dearie… though I would like to know what it is you are doing behind a stone wall Belle?" The thing asked and Belle sighed heavily.

"There's a passage back here but it doesn't lead anywhere, or rather it just leads to this dead end… why are you behind a wall?" She asked quizzically and the Dark One giggled. Actually giggled. Robert hoped to high heaven he never had to hear such a revolting sound issue from his mouth again.

"Well Belle, that's an interesting story but you probably wouldn't like it, its horribly frightening." He said candidly and Belle gasped.

"Are you trapped?" She asked and Robert scowled.

"In a way, I suppose I am." The Dark One said as though pondering this for the first time and there was a mad scrambling on the opposite side of the wall. Evidently she was still trying to open the door.

"Are you alright?" Belle demanded and Robert felt pleasant surprise filter through him that most certainly hadn't originated from him. The Dark One was almost glowing; Belle's innocent words had apparently struck a chord deep inside the monster.

"Yes dearie, I am fine." It said softly and Robert glowered. Easy for it to say, it wouldn't have to deal with a broken hand.

"Although, if it's possible Belle… would you do something for me?" It asked and Belle's scrambling stopped.

"Of course, but what do I get in return?" She asked and Robert almost cried with joy. Clever girl. The Dark One however glowered at the wall and cursed him inwardly.

"_That's my Belle." _Robert crowed and the beast growled.

"Undying gratitude not enough dearie?" The beast quipped, a small, uncontrolled giggle breaking free from its lips and Belle laughed with him.

"Gratitude's not much of a currency in this place… it doesn't seem to get you very far when people don't trust you." She said bitterly and even the Dark one paused slightly at that. It wasn't like his Belle to be bitter, frustrated or exhausted, but never bitter. Robert had a niggling feeling that this was somehow tied to him.

"Belle, if I ever meet you in person… you may ask a single favour of me, that I will never be able to dispute or disobey. You may enact this favour at any time and I will be honour bound to obey it, whatever you choose it to be." The Dark One said and even Robert was stunned.

"Alright, a favour for a favour… I like it." Belle said, not realising what she'd just agreed to.

"What do you need?" She asked and the Dark One smiled.

"I would like you visit me again… if you don't mind of course." He asked and Belle gasped.

"Of course I will… oh god, I'm so sorry, I have to go but I'll be back promise." She said breathlessly and her fading footsteps receding rapidly into the distance until even the Dark One couldn't hear her anymore. When she was gone Robert released his hold on the Dark One and the man moved back from the doorway to pace the room cockily.

"Oh Robert, I think… I'm in love." It crowed smugly and Robert grumbled.

"My only question is, if she loved you back… what would you do? Run and hide like the coward we both know you are or tell her, everything?" It asked casually then giggled half-hysterically before skipping merrily to the bed and throwing itself merrily upon its surface. Robert withdrew deep into his mind and ignored the Dark One who chortled to itself and hunkered down for an extended stay.

OoOoOoO

"Belle?" Ashley's flushed face appeared in the hole in the floor that marked as her door as Belle threw the trap door open to answer the flurried knocks upon its surface.

"Yes?" She asked and Ashley bit her lip nervously as she waited at the bottom of the ladder, twisting her delicate fingers into knots as she peered upwards.

"Can I talk to you please?" She asked and Belle nodded. She stepped aside and helped Ash into the room.

"Sorry, I only have the bed or the chair." Belle said and Ash gingerly sat down on the bed. She gazed around the room and smiled.

"This is nice, much nicer than mine anyway… I hate pink and for some reason the whole second floor is divided into a mixture of gold, red, black and pink. Guess what I got?" She asked rhetorically and Belle smiled thinly. Ash's grinned broadened and she pointed an accusing finger at Belle.

"I saw that, you can't take it back." She teased and Belle rolled her eyes.

"What's the situation Ash?" She asked and Ashley shifted testily on the bed spread. Calico hopped onto her lap and tilted his head quizzically at the intruder. Ash smiled and tapped him gently on the head. Looking up at Belle her pretty face broke into a wide, excited smile and she was visibly shaking.

"I need your help Belle." She said and Belle started in shock. Of all the things that she'd expected Ashley to say, it had not been that. She leaned in over the back of the chair to fix her with a stern gaze.

"Really?" She asked and Ashley shrugged sheepishly.

"Yes, you remember New Year's Eve?" She asked and Belle stared at her in shock.

"Parts of it Ash." She reminded her stiffly and Ashley's sapphire blue eyes flew wide with horror.

"Oh god Belle I'm sorry." She exclaimed and Belle waved it away tiredly.

"What's the problem?" She asked and Ash's expression became dreamy.

"There's no problem… I need to sneak out tonight and I was wondering if you'd be able to help me." Ash asked and Belle stared at her blankly.

"Sneak out?" She asked and Ash nodded excitedly.

"I met this guy and, oh Belle, he's perfect." She sighed and Belle felt her mouth twitch upwards as she surveyed the girl's happiness.

"What's his name?" She asked and Ashley rested her chin into her palms.

"Sean, he works at a factory in the Meat Packing District and we met on New Year's Eve… after you told me to go and find him." She said and Belle frowned.

"I don't remember that." She said and Ash smiled.

"I do though, you told me to go and find a guy worth my time and I did." She said and Belle forgot her hostility towards everyone in the building for a few moments and walked over to sit down beside Ash. She'd never had all that many friends growing up and this was the first time she'd been privy to a girly talk between friends. Ashley grabbed her hands and bobbed excitedly on the bed.

"Oh Belle, it was so romantic. I saw my Step-sisters Olga and Titania as I was moving through the park… did I ever tell you about them?" She asked and Belle shook her head.

"Bitches." Ashley spat and a dark cloud descended over her pretty features. Then she shook it off and her bright smile returning as suddenly as it had disappeared.

"Anyway, I saw them and they saw me, I must have looked terrified because all of a sudden this guy just steps over to me and asks if I'm okay." She said and wrapped her arms around herself happily.

"He took my arm and walked me down to the pier, I thought he was going to do something then he just walks over to a drinks stand and orders us both hot chocolates." She said and Belle smiled.

"Then?" She pressed and Ashley sighed dramatically.

"Oh Belle, we talked all night. He works at a canning factory but only because his Dad disowned him when he refused to marry some jumped up heiress from Boston. I told him straight up where I worked and do you know what he said?" She asked and Belle smiled, grasping Ashley's shoulder she smiled.

"What?" She asked and Ashley squealed, flinging herself back onto the pillows and grinning stupidly up into the ceiling.

"That it didn't mean shit to him and that I was still one of the most real girls he'd ever met." Ash said dreamily and Belle laughed. Ash sat up with a frown and Belle sobered.

"Oh I'm not laughing at you, in fact, I couldn't be happier for you… I just don't know how I can help; you seem to be doing alright by yourself." Belle protested and Ashley went back to twisting her fingers.

"We've been seeing each other ever since, he comes here and we just chat the night away, but tonight he's going to take me out for dinner, just the two of us, but I have work and… oh Belle what am I to do?" She asked in despair and buried her face into her hands. Belle moved forward and wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders.

"Chin up Ash, we'll think of something." She murmured and frowned at Calico who was hopping excitedly up and down on the cover.

"I was wondering… if you'd mind taking my place… I'd do all your chores tomorrow and you wouldn't have to do it ever again." Ash asked pleadingly and Belle pulled up short.

"Me?" She asked and Ash nodded, drawing back to look at her imploringly.

"Oh please Belle, please." She asked and Belle shrugged.

"I wouldn't know what to do." She protested weakly and Ash gave her a look that plainly told her she didn't believe a word of it.

"Belle, we've seen you watching and you'd be fine. There's not a lot to men when it all comes down to it." She said bracingly and Belle blushed.

"Would I have to… you know?" She made an uncomfortable gesture and Ashley's eyes flashed wide.

"Absolutely not, you're the caretaker here, not a work girl… Ruby will keep an eye on you and if you run into any trouble you just signal." Ash told her and Belle nodded.

"I only foresee a single problem with all this." Belle said and Ash looked at her oddly.

"What?" She asked and Belle raked a hand down her dress.

"What the hell am I going to wear?" She asked. Ashley's face brightened and Belle felt her stomach sink slightly.

"Come with me." She said and grabbed Belle's hand, yanking her from the bed and dragging her down the ladder.

OoOoOoO

"Ash, are you sure about this?" Belle asked worriedly and Ashley nodded happily, her deft hands moving away from Belle's face for what she hoped was the last time. She'd just put the last touches of make up on Belle's face and was smiling brightly.

"Here, take a look at yourself." She said and held up a silver-backed handheld mirror for Belle to peer into. Belle's mouth fell open.

"Is that really me?" She asked and Ash laughed.

"Of course it is silly, I told you I knew what I was doing." She said and Belle was unable to respond, her tongue completely tied with shock. Her continued silence seemed to worry Ash whose face fell sharply.

"You don't like it." She said miserably and Belle hurriedly place a hand on her friend's sleeve.

"No I do, it's just… so different." She said and turned her head this way and that to better see her newly styled hair. Gone was the unruly mass of russet curls. In its place was a smooth, sleek up-do. All her hair was swept back, away from her face, and twisted into a neat bun on the top of her head. Her make-up was simple but elegant. Dark, smoky eyes with glimmers of gold eye-shadow and bright red lipstick that made her azure eyes pop. There was a light covering of blush over her pale cheeks that made them flush prettily, not like her actual blush which made her look like a walking tomato.

"Yeah, but that's half the fun… now for the other half." Ash said and pulled out a black costume from the overflowing cupboard under her floor boards and handed it to Belle. Belle had been astonished to know that each room house one of the marvellous wardobes, which was about a metre or so deep and comprised on numerous shelves and sections that served different fashionable functions. Belle stared at the costume in Ash's hands apprehensively before gingerly stripping down to her brassiere and panties.

"Oh Belle." Ash said and Belle flushed. Ashley hugged her tightly and Belle smiled, hugging the girl back.

"It's okay Ash, Mr Gold made sure that I was alright." She said and Ash smiled cheekily.

"Oh yes, we know. You gave him one hell of a turn Belle, I've never seen him like that." Ash said as she helped Belle into her costume. Perturbed Belle didn't answer. She connected the garters to the belt and fiddled nervously with the buttons of the black overcoat she wore. A lacy black choker went around her neck, effectively covering the bruises that still lingered there. Ash grabbed her hands and smiled at her.

"You look amazing." She murmured and Belle grimaced. Ash held up the mirror again and Belle looked down herself cautiously. Her eyes widened when she saw her whole ensemble for the first time.

"Oh my." She said and Ashley laughed delightedly.

"Man, Mr Gold's going to be pissed that he missed this." Ash said and Belle turned to her in a whirl.

"He is never to know about this… ever." She said firmly and Ash nodded mutely. Belle looked at herself again and nodded. It was perhaps the most scandalous piece of clothing she'd ever worn. A pair of sheer, nylon stockings were connected by a garter-belt to lacy black, French knickers. Over this she wore a white business shirt with poet sleeves and a tight-fitting, thick-strapped corset that made her curves just that little bit more pronounced then need be. The corset was silky to the touch and pitch black. It was elaborately stayed and matched the knickers and the pair of dangerously high heeled shoes she wore. Belle felt her stomach roil and bit her ruby, red lips nervously. She touched her hair and sent a sideways glance at Ash who smiled and held up her thumbs reassuringly. She herself was dressed in a beautiful chiffon dress that came to just below her knees and a pair of sensible, black shoes with pearl buttons. Although demure it was lovely and Belle thought its colouring, a sweet shade of summer blue, simply delightful. It criss-crossed off her shoulders across the bust to cling tightly around Ash's slim waist before falling in neatly pleated lines to the knee length hem. A pair of dainty white gloves covered her hands and a string of Woolworth pearls encircled her neck. Her blonde curls were held up in a neat French twist by a series of sparkling blue pins and Belle smiled at her friend's obvious pains to impress this Sean.

"Well don't we look a treat?" Belle said bracingly and Ash's cheeks flooded with red.

"You think he'll like it?" She asked and Belle nodded.

"If he doesn't then he's not worth it." She teased and Ash's smile became breathtaking. She wrapped her hand around Belle's waist and, grabbing the beaded purse from the bed, escorted her out of the room and into the corridor. In the girl's common-room Belle was swamped by people she'd only seen in the halls but never actually stopped to speak to. Ruby and Mary Margret were seated in a quiet corner and moved like lightning to push the swell of women back.

"Hey girls leave her alone, you know how nervous you all were on your first nights, give Belle a chance to breath for goodness sake." Mary Margret ordered and Belle sighed with relief when the press backed off a bit. She moved back to sit with Ruby, Ash and Mary, taking a small glass of sherry from the low slung table and sipping it quietly. It was musky and cheap but Belle didn't care, she needed something to stem the nervous quivering of her hands which were now shaking quite badly from nerves. Mary saw it and reached out to hold them tightly.

"Remember, you only need to be there for a few hours and if anyone bothers you, just wave at Ruby and she'll sort it out." Mary said and Ruby nodded vigorously. Belle breathed a little easier and smiled, taking another sip of her sherry. Ash stood and wished her luck. Belle smiled and kissed her cheeks fondly. Waving to the other two she moved off towards the door and disappeared through it.

"Belle…" Ruby began and Belle held up her hand.

"No, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have yelled at you." She said and Ruby shook her head.

"No Belle, you were right… I forget that you barely see anyone around here. You're not one of the girls and more often than not the only person who talk to on a regular basis is Gold and everyone knows what a bloody ray of sunshine he is." She said and Belle frowned. Ruby shook her head when Belle went to open her mouth.

"No let me finish. I understand now, Henry is a great kid. I'm sorry to have forced you to give up seeing him, this last day when you wouldn't speak to me was hell and I'm so sorry Belle, I truly am." She said and Belle's anger wore off entirely.

"I just felt like you didn't trust me; that you thought I was stupid for letting him in." She said and Ruby hugged her tightly.

"I do trust you Belle, and I hope he comes back." She admitted. Mary watched them and rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Excellent, with that little drama out of the way… shall we?" She asked and Ruby nodded. Belle's nerves came flooding back to her and she followed Mary Margret down the set of stairs that led to the club room and into the glittering night life of the Palace. The place was entirely different at night and seemed to come to life in a way that Belle couldn't understand. The tables were filled with black suited men and the girls moved through the room dressed in shimmering dresses and scandalous underwear. Ruby whispered her good luck and moved behind the bar, immediately smiling and flirting with the patrons that surrounded it. The dim electric lights made the atmosphere appear hazy and the strong smell of liquor, sweat and cigar smoke made Belle gag slightly. Despite all this she was entranced. Everything seemed to teem with life and vitality. Sounds seemed extra sharp and people somewhat surreal in the semi-darkness. It was a glittering fairy tale room and Belle took a deep fortifying breath as she flowed Mary Margret into the centre of it all. Turning to face her Mary pointed to one of the platforms.

"Now you know how to use it, just let it happen and smile. Never ever let them know you hate it." She said quietly as a patron passed by and winked at them. His hand groped at Belle's buttocks and she jumped, biting her tongue to keep from calling out. Before her eyes she saw her attacker, felt his hands crawling over her body and she backed away from the man until Mary caught her roughly.

"Belle, pull it together. You don't want to be touched? Okay, get up there and sell it. They cannot touch you up there." She said and Belle swallowed her terror. She nodded and stiffened her upper lip.

"Okay, I can do this." Belle muttered and walked over to the platform she and Henry had used only the day before. She climbed up, aware of the catcalls from the surrounding men and tried her best to smile. The band kicked up and a new, jazzy tune filled the room. Belle jumped and gazed around her nervously.

"Come on darlin' show us what you got." A man at a nearby table called and his friends all laughed. It was an ugly sound that made Belle cringe slightly.

"Yeah, smile for us." Another called and Belle forced herself to smile. She grasped the pole gently in one hand and swung herself around it tentatively. They whooped and she grew a little more confident. Turning to face them she sank down the length of the pole and waved delicately at them. They hollered and she peered over at Mary Margret who was busy with her own group, swirling around her platform like some dazzling Queen of the Nile. She nodded at Belle and smiled encouragingly. Belle slowly worked her way back up the pole and, bringing her knees up slightly, circled it again. The music swelled and she allowed herself to just get lost in the music, swirling and twirling. She never once approached the edge of the platform and her audience chorused many times for her to come closer but Belle was terrified to let them near her. The song changed, becoming slower, and Belle's movements coincided with the change. She slowed her movements and allowed her body to sway and bend with the soulful melody. For the first time she actually detached herself from the pole and approached the edge of the platform. Slowly she eased herself down to sit on the edge and reached out to grasp at one of the men's hats, tilting it on a coy angle and winking at them. They laughed and she crossed her legs, holding out her arms towards them. Two rushed forwards and she grasped their shoulders, pushing herself off the platform and onto one of the tables she'd polished the day before. She twirled slowly for them and propped her hands on her hips, surveying them all pensively.

"Now I could dance or someone could buy me a drink and be my hero." She said coyly, batting her eyelashes at the nearest fellow who jumped up and all but ran to the bar. She crouched on the table in pointed at one of the men.

"What's your name?" She asked sweetly and he stammered.

"Thomas." He said and she smiled beguilingly, or at least she hoped it was beguilingly… all this was still new to her and she was conspicuously watching Mary Margret out of the corner of her eyes in order to pick up a few tips and hints about what to do.

"Well Thomas, can you guess my name?" She asked and sat down before him, propping her hand on her knee and cradling her chin in her palm.

"Delilah?" He asked and she shook her head, playfully poking him in the chest and smoothing his cheek.

"What about you?" She asked the man next to him whose eyes were bleared with the copious amounts of whiskey he'd already consumed.

"Bettie?" He asked and she shook her head. Laying back down on the table she met the gaze of the man sitting directly behind her and crossed her arms over her chest, pouting slightly.

"They keep getting it wrong… can you guess?" She asked and he tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Well it has to be something beautiful… so I'm going to call you Beauty." He said and Belle smiled.

"I like that, Beauty." She said and grinned wickedly at him. Thomas ran his hand up her thigh and she gasped. Her leg kicked out before she could stop it and the chair toppled back with a crash. People turned to stare and Belle tried to cover her mistake with a genteel laugh.

"Oh Thomas, I should have said before… you can look but you must never, ever, ever touch." She said slowly and the men at her table chuckled as Thomas was helped dazedly to his feet. Belle wondered at herself. Maybe it was the glitter or the sherry or maybe it was just the atmosphere of the place but for some reason she was no longer afraid. Outside this room she was plain, insignificant Belle de Boire but in here, she was Beauty. She could dance and beguile these men if she wanted to and they could never, ever touch her. She could speak her mind and play with them… she didn't have to be alone anymore. The man she'd sent off arrived with her drink and Belle smiled brightly at him as she accepted it gracefully. Taking a sip she smiled and stood, twirling on the table top and laughing delightedly. Her audience laughed with her and Belle felt adored. Oh yes this was the life, she thought and took another burning sip of her sherry, smiling as the buzz made her distantly happy. She indicated that she wanted to step back onto platform and was instantly lifted up onto the stage. She flinched slightly but managed to smile at them, gripping the pole tightly in one hand and spinning happily around it, her small glass of sherry held in her other hand. She was taking another sip when something she hadn't been expecting occurred. She nearly choked and was suddenly frozen to the core as a familiar face appeared at the doors of the club room and peered across the ocean of tables, immediately spotting her across the room. She dropped the glass which shattered into a thousand glittering pieces. As he approached, Belle stepped back, running into the pole and gripping it tightly behind her back.

"Gaston." She breathed and her eyes flashed over to Ruby who was staring at her expectantly. Belle shook her head and cautiously hopped down from the platform.

"Sorry boys… but I'm afraid I must love you and leave you." She said and tottered towards Gaston on her tiny heels, apprehensive and embarrassed beyond all belief. He looked good, dressed in a sleek evening jacket and a dark blue shirt he stared down at her in shock and she bit her lip.

"Belle?" He asked and she nodded.

"I think you and I need to have a chat." She said and he nodded.

"Yes, I think we do." She said and he grasped her arm. She flinched and tore it from his grasp. She met his gaze coldly and stalked away, peering behind her once to see him pursuing her through the crowd. She moved to the door and pulled him up the stairs, hoping against hope she'd be able to explain this.

OoOoOoO

Well who'd have known it, Belle de Boire had breasts and rather nice ones at that. Gaston couldn't take his eyes off the soft mounds that seemed almost ready to burst out from beneath the black corset and low cut shirt she wore and his member hardened at the sight of her long, shapely legs which seemed to go on forever now that he could see them. Gone, it would seem, were the modest gowns she'd inherited from her mother and in their place… pure heaven. Gaston followed his fiancé up a flight of carefully concealed stairs and into a room hat smelled storngly of perfume and sherry. Belle moved quickly through the room and out into a brightly lit corridor. She opened one of the doors and held it open for him, revealing a small bedroom with bright wallpaper of stunning shades of gold and black. He turned to face her and crossed his arms over his chest, taking in her remarkable changed appearance.

"Well, it good to see you Belle." He said and she flinched.

"It's good to see you too Gaston." She replied and her delicate fingers twisted themselves into knots. She looked up at him and tried to smile.

"Why are you here Gaston, you shouldn't." Belle said and Gaston moved forwards to clasp her shoulders. She flinched again and Gaston sneered inwardly. Heartless bitch, couldn't she at least pretend to like his advances? It wasn't as if she could play the modest virgin card now; that ship had apparently sailed. Instead he smiled and stroked her cheek.

"I've been so worried about you Belle, your father he told me about the deal and I swore I'd stop at nothing to bring you home." He said and her ruby red lips parted in surprise.

"Gaston I…"

"I know, you can't now… that monster Gold has you trapped here but this is just a recona-reconencess mission." He said and Belle stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment. Then her brow cleared.

"Oh you mean reconnaissance." She said and he nodded. A small smiled touched her lips and she turned to walk over to the door, pulling the silk robe on its back over her clothes. With her body tucked out of sight Gaston was able to concentrate on the mission at hand.

"Oh Belle, you've missed so much." He said and turned away, sinking his dejectedly onto his chest. From behind him he could hear Belle shuffling towards him. Her slim hand touched his shoulder and he turned to face her slowly.

"What is it Gaston?" She asked softly and Gaston faked a smile of remorse.

"I don't want to alarm you; it would be fair since you couldn't do anything about it even if you wanted to." He said and Belle's cheeks blanched.

"Has something happened?" She asked, appalled, and Gaston nodded regretfully.

"I'm afraid it's your father Belle, he's very sick." He said and Belle cried out, her hand coming to rest over her mouth as she stared at him in horror.

"Papa! How? When?" She demanded and Gaston sighed heavily.

"He started to drink again, after you left… it broke his heart to see you go and now he can barely get out of bed, we're all worried about him." He said sadly. He decided to drive the point home.

"Didn't Mr Gold tell you?" He asked and she shook her head. Her azure eyes were wide and full of hurt.

"He's away." She said numbly, sitting down on the black cover of the bed and grasping the footrest so tightly her knuckles glowed white in the dim light of the room.

"Oh Belle." He said and moved to sit next to her. She flung herself into his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Her shoulders shook and he patted her triumphantly on the back.

"It's going to be okay Belle." He said and she stared up at him through tear reddened eyes.

"How?" She demanded and he pulled the box Regina had given him out of his pocket and handed it to her. She took it and opened it, gasping at the sight of the necklace it held.

"Oh my." She breathed and looked up at him.

"Gaston, this is lovely." She said and he smiled.

"When I free you Belle, I want you to be my wife… say you'll wear this, as a promise." He said and she stared down at the box for a long time. He suddenly felt quite nervous.

"It's okay Belle, I understand… I just want you to know that there is someone outside this wretched place that still loves you." He said. Damn, this wasn't going o plan at all. Any other woman would be jumping at the opportunity to marry him and here she was, trapped into harlotry and mulling idly over marriage as though it were a shopping list. His blood boiled until she glanced up at him and he saw that her eyes had begun to fill with tears again.

"I'll wear it Gaston, for you and Papa." She said and he smiled. She pulled it out of the box and turned her back to him.

"Would you mind?" She asked and he carefully linked the chain together. His hand lingered on her neck for a moment longer and she shivered slightly. She hurriedly got up off the bed and stepped away.

"You have to go now Gaston, it's not safe for you here." She said and he frowned.

"But Belle, when can I see you again?" He asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know Gaston… when Mr Gold comes back, it's unlikely that I'll ever see you again." She said and Gaston shook his head.

"I refuse to believe that." He said and she smiled softly.

"It's not all bad Gaston, Mr Gold is not the monster everyone claims him to be." She said and he snorted.

"Oh and that little performance downstairs was 'not all bad' was it?" He retorted snappishly and she flushed, her cheeks glowing like twin coals.

"He, he doesn't know about that." She said and he coughed disbelievingly.

"It's true, he's never approve of me doing it but I needed to, for a friend." She said and Gaston chuckled.

"It's okay Belle, I don't blame _you_ for what he's forced you to do… I promise one day we'll be able to look back on all this and laugh." He said and her face went cold and mask-like.

"Thank you Gaston, take my love to Papa and I hope I see you again." She murmured, ushering him to the door and down the corridor to the elevator. At the atrium she paused and remained enclosed by the golden gates.

"Go now." She said and he stepped out to race across the room, at the door he turned and blew her a kiss. She seemed frozen to the spot and then he turned to stride boldly from the building into the winter night.

OoOoOoO

When Gaston was out of sight Belle slammed the elevator doors shut and made her way up to the top floor. Not even pausing she began to strip off her clothes, leaving a solid trail of finery in her wake until she arrived at her room. She scaled the ladder and threw herself at her wash basin. Furiously, she tore her hair out of its neat bun and shook her curls free. Next she picked up the wash cloth and ran it over her face, drawing from it a smear of make-up that made her almost physically ill to look at. She repeated this until her face was clean of filth and she was staring at her pale face in the dim mirror. The Belle that looked back at her appeared awfully young. The Belle that stood staring at herself had to remind herself that she was only eighteen. Tonight she'd made an absolute fool of herself and yet, there was a part of her that desired to do it all over again. The thrall she'd place on those men, the power she'd held over them and the adoration she had seen in their eyes had been marvellous. For the first time in her whole life Belle knew why the girls in her finishing school had tried so hard to impress men, they had seen the looks men gave them, felt the rush of adrenalin when a man became putty in their hands but most of all, they felt like real women. Belle realised that until now, she'd been living as a child. She'd never woken up from her silly dreams, never understood that the world around her was never going to change. The real adventure was love, or at least finding it. She sat down heavily on her chair and stared up at the ceiling. Calico flittered nervously on the window sill and Belle smiled at him.

"Alone Calico, I've been so alone." She said and he chirped. She frowned and he hopped down onto the bed. She followed him and her eyes alighted on an object she most certainly hadn't seen before. She got up and moved towards it. By the shaft of pale moonlight sliding through her window, Belle saw that it was a rose. A single blossom with a long green stalk laid lovingly over her pillow. She stretched out a trembling hand and picked it up, holding it delicately to her nose. It smelled of her mother, sweet and fresh like spring rain, and Belle felt her tears begin anew. She stroked the petals, which she couldn't see very well in the dark and smiled. Who had put it here? Her eyes widened and she peered around the room nervously, as though by some miracle the answer would just appear out of thin air. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. Unable to think of a better plan she carefully chopped the end of the stalk with a pair of sewing scissors and placed the beautiful flower into the basin of water on her desk. Smiling she stepped back and surveyed it. Who would give her a rose? Maybe it was Ashley as a thank you present or Ruby by way of an apology? She shook her head, that wasn't right but she didn't have anyone else to go off and so, curious but no longer unhappy she crawled into bed and settled beneath the covers. For the first time in weeks she prayed. She prayed that Mr Gold might come back soon because try as she might she couldn't forget him. She prayed that Gaston would come back, just to know that people missed her. But most of all, she prayed for her beloved Papa, who for all she knew, was lying in his bed at home, dying. When Robert returned she'd ask for some leave, a few days at the most, and if he refused… she shuddered to think. As Calico settled in next her Belle closed her eyes. Exhausted she relaxed into the lumpy mattress and drifted off into a deep but troubled sleep.

**Two chapters in a few hours, man I'm on fire. I hope you liked this one, plot's kicking off and I'm really looking forward to the confrontation between her and Gold. Did you like my Robert/Dark One relationship… honestly those boys crack me up… in a totally normal way –rolls eyes at self- Anyway, love to all and please review, it makes me so happy. **


	11. Chapter 11

Eleven:

**OMG 100 reviews! Mile stone achieved! Thanks guys so much, you are wonderful, spectacular and all around awesome. Writing this chapter so that it's out of the way and things between Belle and Robert can get back to semi-normal… not saying it's going to be smooth sailing though. **

Four days passed in rather the same manner. Like some strangely functioning clock, life at the Palace meandered on in much the same way it always had; just without the one thing that made her imprisonment bearable. Mr Gold's absence was noticed far more then he could possibly be aware of and Belle often found herself wandering into his office, just to be around the things he used the most. It was odd, not having to wake at the crack of dawn each morning to fetch him tea but Belle found her heart rather heavy even with all her new activities. Each morning she awoke with the sun rather than before it, able to enjoy a few moments peace in her small, lumpy bed before forcing herself to get up and begin the day. Without the time consuming trip downstairs and back up, Belle found she had more time to explore the third floor rooms uninterrupted. They became her playground, when she wasn't in the kitchen with Granny or chatting with the other girls in the common-room. Over the consecutive days she managed to finish another two rooms on the third floor at a leisurely pace. In one of them, she found thousands of pieces of beautiful crockery and dazzlingly delicate figurines of the finest hand painted china stacked in tightly packed rows with still more clocks, ornaments and elaborate clothing. The other room had been entirely devoted to children's toys. If she had to be honest the room had given Belle the creeps. With the eerily life-like doll faces staring at her accusingly as she moved them gingerly around the room to catalogue them in her ever growing ledgers, she had felt extremely aware of herself and not at all comfortable. There had also been perambulators, rocking horses, tins of toy soldiers and even an enormous model train set that had lit up like a 4th of July pageant when she'd pressed one of its buttons by accident. It had been chilling but also rather sad, touching and callously accounting what Belle was sure had been the childhood delights of many a child before the Crash. So she handled each object with the utmost respect, cautiously returning each piece to its appropriate place. The majority of her joy over that lonely week had been during the secret conversations she had shared with the man behind the wall and, much to everyone's surprise including hers, her new night job. Apparently her debut performance had been stellar because the very next morning she'd awoken not only to find a beautiful new gift but a missive from Ruby telling her that she now had a new job, for as long as she wanted.

On the dawning of the fifth day of Gold's absence, Belle sat up with a gasp in bed when Calico's wing brushed across her face, instantly waking her from her somewhat peculiar dream. It had been a surreal, Alice-in-Wonderland like experience and she propped her head on her knees as she tried to remember it. As she tried to cling to the sleepy memories faint images resurfaced in her lethargic mind. There had been a beautiful rose garden, filled with a myriad of perfect blossoms all the colours of the rainbow and at its centre a high stone wall stretched into the sky, its top lost in the swirling clouds overhead. Belle chuckled at the memory of her trying to climb it, always falling back down to begin again. The queerest sensation had overcome her, as though she were a piece of twine being pulled by some unseen hand, and she'd pressed herself against the wall, peering desperately through a tiny crack to see the other side. A high pitched giggle had made her whirl around but whatever had been behind her hurriedly disappeared into the greenery. A flash of red and black had made her break into a run, another high pitched giggle ahead making her sprint faster and faster… until she realised that she wasn't getting anywhere and that the figure in the distance was forever out of her reach. She'd called out and suddenly the rose vines had snaked towards her, lashing at her face and hands with their thorns as she fought desperately to get through, to find the man with the crazy laugh. It was then that she'd awoken to Calico's impatience and as she gazed around her room Belle's eye alighted on the new rose that had somehow sneaked its way into her room. Her mouth fell open at the sight of yet another breathtaking flower and she sprang from the bed in order to make sure that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. She stroked the soft petals gently and a smile broke out over her face as their velvety touch soothed her burning hands. It had been laundry day the day before and her hands still ached something dreadful from all the scrubbing. She felt the rose's petals to make sure it's colouring was genuine and when her hands came away clean she laughed delightedly. The rose, at first glance, was a deep shade of bloodied crimson, much like the ones that had preceded it, but when she took a closer look Belle discovered that each perfectly sculptured inner petal was actually pure, snow-flake white. It was as if someone had taking a brush and painted a white rose red, missing its inner petals and giving them a wondrously bruised look.

"Just like me." Belle murmured in wonder and Calico chirped in agreement from his post upon the bed. She looked back at him and giggled.

"Oh Calico, isn't it beautiful?" She breathed and twirled happily on her soft Persian rug. Distant memories came flooding back to her and she smiled as the blossoms name returned to her.

"Osiria." Belle breathed happily and inhaled the flower's sweet aroma once again. She stopped and clutched at her sides giddily. Who had given it to her? Why not a red one, like all the others? The thought sobered her. Mores to the point, who would want to give it to her? She sat down on the unmade bed and planted her chin in her hands. Musing quietly for a few moments she found her gaze kept straying to the other secret in her room. The grey-stone wall stared back at her innocently and she bit her lip tentatively. Standing slowly she moved to the wooden chest at the foot of her bed and pulled out her usual day dress and shawl, tying her unpredictable curls back into a lazy bun at the nape of her neck. A few auburn tendrils broke free from the twist and she cocked her head calculatingly as she stared into the mirror over her desk. To her disappointment there were now faint smudges of shadow under her eyes. The eyes themselves seemed a little less bright then they had been at the beginning of the week and Belle couldn't help the half grimace on her lips. All these late nights were catching up to her and she half dreaded the day Robert came back, which would mean that the sleep ins she was currently having would disappear altogether. On the other hand, she missed him. It was hard to admit it, but she missed the cantankerous man. Turning on her heel Belle walked to the wall and carefully pressed the smooth, slightly worn stone at hip height that activated the switch that clicked back into place to allow the hidden door to swing back on its hinges. She picked up the lantern on her desk and lit it carefully, holding it out before her as she descended the gloomy staircase. This time, like most of the others, she not only heard the mice but saw them, their beady black eyes and wriggling tales disappearing into the shadows as they turned fled before her light. When she arrived at the base of the stairs she paused for a moment before allowing herself to ascend the few uneven steps upwards. When she arrived at the blank stone wall she stopped, suddenly unsure of how best to approach the situation. What did she call out? Over the last few days she and her mysterious conversant had spoken a lot, but even though he knew her name he'd stubbornly refused to give his own. Biting her lip she reached out with her free hand and cautiously knocked on the damp grey-stone. Silence reigned and she sighed with disappointment.

"Hello?" She called out and was again was met with a pregnant silence. Worry began to gnaw at her gut and she wondered if the man behind the wall was actually alright. She pressed close to the wall and tapped the stone once again.

"Belle dearie, you came back again." The man, whoever he was, said, his tone a mixture of amusement and shock. Belle laughed.

"But of course, I gave my word didn't I? I thought you'd have more faith in me by now." She said sportingly and laid her hand against the wall.

"Yes you did, but I must admit… you'd be the first person I've met who'd come back to a voice in the wall… are you sure they said you were cleared from the hospital?" He asked and giggled excitedly at his own joke. Belle shook her head at that. Honestly, he was one to talk of hospitals; the man sounded half way deranged.

"Are you still okay?" She asked concerned and there was a strained pause.

"Ah, well, that depends on what constitutes as okay these days." He muttered and Belle frowned.

"Do you need anything?" She asked and he chuckled.

"Not right now." He said and another high pitched giggle came through the wall. Belle rolled her eyes.

"But ask me again in a few hours' time and the results could be different." He crowed and she could almost see him flourishing his hand whimsically. Setting the gently glowing lantern down on the top-most step Belle sat down beside it and folded her hands casually in her lap, peering up at the wall.

"You don't like answering plainly do you?" She asked and he coughed. His voice moved down the wall and she realised that he too had decided to sit down. She figured that if the wall hadn't been between them they'd probably be at eye level with one another.

"What makes you say that?" He asked and she giggled.

"There you go again, a question for a question." She taunted in a sing-song voice. She fiddled with a piece of her hair and didn't speak, deciding to force him into speaking this time. After a slight pause he spoke.

"Belle?" She smiled and leant back against the wall. A small draft came through the corridor and she shivered slightly, wrapping her shawl more closely around her to ward off the chill.

"You know it's really not fair that you know my name but I don't know yours." She said, for what felt like the hundredth time that week, and she swore she heard her conversant sigh with relief. Then he laughed.

"Really? Oh how dreadful." He didn't sound at all like he meant it and Belle frowned at the wall.

"Your sincerity would make a saint feel jealous." She retorted and he cackled delightedly.

"For someone who's apparently locked up, you seem awfully cheerful." Belle muttered and the cackle broke off abruptly.

"What makes you think I'm cheerful Belle? Putting on a brave face and enjoying oneself are quite different things." He said quietly and Belle sighed. She looked down at her hands and fiddled with the fabric of her shirt.

"You still haven't answered my question." She said, deciding to ignore the awkward moment and he in turn, let it go.

"And which one was that?" He asked sardonically and she rolled her eyes.

"What's your name?" Belle asked stubbornly and he whistled.

"Belle dearie, you are persistent and I'll give you that." He murmured and Belle swore she heard an impressed undertone in his voice.

"Alright, since you've been honourable enough to keep up your end of our bargain, I'll give you a chance to guess it." He said and Belle couldn't help but compare the situation to the one she'd created on her first night dancing downstairs. Hadn't she done something similar to those men? She rolled her eyes.

"Oh for goodness sake." She exclaimed and the man behind the wall clucked disapprovingly.

"Now, now it's not so bad… I'll give you a clue." He said and she leaned in close to the wall.

"Yes." She said expectantly and he giggled.

"You'll never guess it." He said teasingly and she scowled blackly at the wall.

"Oh, you are impossible." She declared frustratedly, slamming her fist against the solid rock and wincing when it jarred the bones all the way up to her shoulder. The hysterical giggle became a triumphant howl of laughter. Her own lips twitched into a smile and she couldn't help her own small laugh. She let herself giggle, enjoying the moment. Soon she was laughing uncontrollably and it took them both a long while to settle down. It felt as though she hadn't genuinely laughed in years and when she thought about it… she hadn't. Not since before the Crash, when her father still worked in his shop and her mother wasn't so ill. When she had herself under control she tucked her legs underneath herself and cocked her head slightly.

"Do I have many guesses?" She asked and her 'friend' tutted.

"As many as you like." He said graciously and she huffed thoughtfully.

"Is it a common name?" She asked and he was silent as he pondered this.

"To be completely honest with you Belle, something I should let you know right now that I am not, one of my names can be found on nearly every continent on this planet and the other… I am the only one who owns it." He said finally and she gasped in outrage.

"You have two names!" She cried and he chuckled.

"But of course… I can be anyone I choose to be, but these two are the ones I go by the most." He said nonchalantly and she frowned.

"That's not fair." She told him angrily and could almost see him shrugging.

"Life's not fair and anyone who ever told you that is a rotten, nasty liar who shouldn't speak to little girls." He taunted and she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing again. She was supposed to be angry with him god damn it, not giggling like some stupid school girl over a boy.

"I had a strange dream last night." She said and he clucked thoughtfully.

"I find that dreams are a kind of gateway, a gateway to our memories or even our futures." He murmured and Belle smiled.

"Why, there is a sentimental soul under all that bravado. I thought as much." She said triumphantly and sniggered when he spluttered a weak protest.

"I am nothing of the sort."

"Of course you're not." Belle agreed sagely and he growled.

"I'm not." He repeated and she tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Whatever you say…" She replied teasingly and he mumbled something utterly unintelligible that made her smirk out into the gloomy hallway.

"Anyway, my dream had roses in it." She said and there was silence on the other side of the wall.

"Do you… like roses Belle?" He asked and Belle smiled, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her head against her arms.

"They're my favourites." She murmured mildly. A soft sound echoed through the wall to her and she frowned at it curiously.

"There was a wall, like this one and I think… I think you were there." She said and he giggled.

"Dreaming of me already Belle, how quaint." He teased and she flushed. She stood and picked up her lantern.

"Well then, if that's how you're going to be… perhaps I won't visit you again." She said and there was movement on the other side of the wall.

"Wait, I apologise Belle… please stay." Her 'friend' asked quietly and Belle bit her lip to stop herself from smirking too broadly.

"Oh okay." She said with a laugh and sat back down.

"So you were there, in my dream but I couldn't see you… you disappeared into the roses and they started to scratch me, what do you think it means?" She asked and he remained silent for a long time.

"I have absolutely no idea." He said and Belle pouted into the dark.

"Oh come on Rum, give it a go." She said and he chuckled.

"Rum?" He asked and his voice was heavily laced with dry amusement.

"Short for Rumplestiltskin… you know; the fairy tale? Kind of fitting don't you think?" She said and he giggled.

"It's not my name though." He said triumphantly and Belle smirked.

"Yes, but you've already told me you can't be trusted… so rather than just rattle off a list of names that you could so easily dismiss when they're correct, I'll just call you Rum." She said, feeling rather proud of herself. He seemed rather delighted with the idea. She heard him clap and another giggle escaped his lips.

"You're truly something else Belle." He admitted and she tilted her head slightly.

"I try." She returned and stood, grabbing the lantern again.

"Well… I might be back tonight but, I think it'll be another late one." She said and there was a mad scrambling on the other side of the wall.

"Another?" He asked and she laughed.

"Oh Rum, stay out of trouble alright." She remonstrated and he grumbled.

"Goodbye Belle." He said neutrally and she smiled.

"Goodbye Rum." She said merrily and he giggled delightedly. She turned, with a smile on her lips, and retraced her steps back down the stairs and along the corridor to her room. Calico flapped excitedly as she reappeared and she twirled happily in a neat pirouette in the centre of the room.

"Come Calico… the day awaits." She said and held out her hand to the robin that gracefully stepped out onto it and waddled up her arm to rest upon her shoulder. She stroked his head lovingly and bestowed her rose with one last glance before stepping down onto the ladder and heading downstairs for breakfast.

OoOoOoO

"You received word from Prince Charming yet?" Ruby asked as Belle entered the kitchen, her beautiful features creasing into a look of pure mischief. Belle paused in the doorway and gazed at her assembled friends warily. In the silence, the new wireless Granny had purchased played a slow waltz.

"Prince Charming?" She asked slowly and Ashley frowned from where she sat by the tea shelf as Ruby rolled her eyes.

"You know, that gorgeous bit of man flesh from the other night… has he come back yet?" Ruby asked and now it was Belle's turn to roll her eyes.

"No actually, and I don't expect him to." She said firmly and came to sit down beside Ashley, reaching out to take her own bowl of breakfast from the collection on the counter.

"And just why is that?" Ruby asked, outraged at this ultimate betrayal of feminism, and Belle paused in her eating to stare up at her friend oddly.

"I really do see why this is such a problem Ruby." She said and Ruby gave her an impatient look.

"Last any of us saw of you, you were tugging an Adonis upstairs with a face that made Granny's rampages look like a five year old's temper tantrum… what happened and why haven't we seen him since?" She demanded and all the memories of that night came barrelling back to Belle. Her hand reached up instinctively to her throat and she felt the now familiar weight of the silver chain around her neck. She pulled it out from beneath her collar and both Ashley and Ruby gasped.

"Oh my god, it's beautiful." Ash said and Ruby gaped at the necklace in shock.

"He gave that to you?" She asked breathlessly and Belle nodded.

"Gaston is… or rather, was, an old friend of mine from before I came here." She explained and Granny tutted derisively.

"Seems he wants to be more than friends love, those are diamonds and diamonds are hard to come by these days." She said cynically and Belle glanced down to fondle the glittering ornament around her neck gently. It was crafted from pure silver, a swirling, twisted symbol she didn't recognise and along its gleaming length were small studs that were apparently little diamonds. She touched it gingerly and for the first time wondered how on earth he'd been able to afford it. Shaking away such thoughts the real reason he'd come also floated back to her.

"He came to take me away." She said vacantly and her friends' mouths fell open in amazement. Belle nodded numbly.

"I probably should have said something earlier but… you've all been so busy, especially you Ruby with Mr Gold away, so I suppose it all slipped my mind." She said and Ash snorted.

"How do you forget about a one hundred pound necklace around your neck?" She asked and Belle blushed. With the help of a few flowers and mysterious third floor playrooms apparently. Unwilling to sound too niave in front of her friends she shook her head and shrugged nonchalantly.

"I told him it wouldn't work." She said and Ruby nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning deeply.

"I hope so, no point getting his hopes up. Gold's got you locked into that contract and it'll take a lot of bargaining to get you out." She said and Belle rolled her eyes.

"You make it sound like a prison sentence but you're right and I said as much… he was so sweet about it too." She said and stared down at her uneaten food, which suddenly looked entirely unappetising. She drew a shaking breath and gripped the table edge tightly.

"My Papa's sick." She said stiffly and Ash threw herself off her chair to wrap her arms around her. Belle leaned into her friends embrace and rested her head on her shoulder.

"Oh Belle I'm so sorry." She whispered and Belle shook her head.

"Don't be… there's no point. I can't see him and even if I could, I'd have to wait until Mr Gold comes back from wherever he is…" She said as firmly as she could but faltered when her voice caught in her throat. She bit her lip to stop form crying and drew back from Ashley to smile at her bracingly. Ruby came forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

"It's going to be okay Belle, he'll be back soon... he never stays away for too long, its bad for business." She said confidently and Belle nodded. She sat down again and they finished their meals in silence. A sudden thought struck Belle.

"So, with all these nights I've been covering for you in mind Ashley, is there anything worth reporting or do I have to revoke my offer?" She asked Ash and the girl's eyes alighted with a joy unlike anything Belle had ever seen before.

"Oh Belle, it's been so grand. Just last night Sean took me to this darling little Italian restaurant by the river and we had our own little table by the window." She said happily and Ruby sent Belle a 'you-asked-for-it' look. Belle smirked and took a small bite of her now tasteless porridge before pulling a face and putting it back down. Ashley however was in her own world and Granny's back was turned to Belle's distaste.

"It was so nice, just us and the owner, Mario, who poured us glass after glass of this amazing red wine and shouted at his wife in Italian… she gave as good as she got though, I think some of the things she said were quite rude because he blushed a few times." She said and Belle sniggered slightly.

"And Sean?" She asked and Ashley sighed dreamily, thinking of her Prince.

"Oh Belle, he was so perfect. When we were done we went for a walk along the river… we came across this dance hall and there just happened to be a band playing so we went in. He couldn't dance very well but we had fun… even though I think someone poured a whole gallon of whiskey into the punch." Ash added pensively and Ruby burst out laughing. Ash sent her a bemused glared and Belle stifled her own giggle.

"Oi, it's my night and I can remember it however I choose." Ash said defensively and Belle smiled. Laying a hand on her friend's arm she smirked and cast her a sideways glance.

"Then what?" She asked and Ash's expression became wistful. She sighed and smiled softly into thin air.

"We had to head out at 12, the party ended then and he had an early shift this morning. He escorted me home, all the way up here and when he saw me to the door… oh Belle, he kissed me." She said breathlessly and Ruby snorted. Turning a derisive gaze towards Belle she rolled her carefully made up eyes and sighed.

"It's like she's never been kissed before." She said cynically to the younger brunette who frowned and turned back to Ashley.

"Good for you Ash, you deserve to find love." She said and Ash looked at her worriedly.

"Do you think this could be love?" She asked and Belle smiled.

"I don't know; what does it feel like?" She asked and Ashley's face changed, becoming strangely introverted as she pondered the question.

"Like the best and worst feeling in the whole world. It's like trying to take another breath when your lungs are already full… too much but just enough, oh I can't sleep without seeing him, I can't eat, my heart feels like it's going to burst right through my chest if I don't do something to stop it." She said and Belle grasped her hand tightly in between hers.

"Then I think you're in love." She said simply and Ashley's smile could have melted the hardest of hearts. She squealed and flung her arms around Belle who stiffened but quickly relaxed into her friend's embrace, staring over her shoulder towards Ruby who was watching the performance with an amused smirk plastered to her ruby red lips. The wireless played on, deciding that jazz was an excellent way to start the morning.

OoOoOoO

"I thought you said they were diamonds." Gaston said angrily as Regina turned to face him from her position by the window. She shrugged.

"They are but that's not all they are." She said and Gaston stared at her in confusion.

"It was imperative that she be wearing them as soon as you left her, that way we missed nothing… it helps when you believe whatever it is you're saying." Regina said triumphantly and the sable haired man before her squirmed in the black lacquered chair before her.

"It feels wrong to deceive her though." He said and Regina sneered.

"The girl's been in that building for almost a month. Her loyalties are bound to be changing you fool, if she thought for one second that you were about to betray Gold she'd never have agreed to wear that necklace… as it is, now we have no need of our spy." She said and smiled proudly over the sleek black table at the man. She sat down in her high backed armchair and grabbed one of the blood red apples from the basket in the centre of the table, taking a deliberate bite into its smooth, sleek surface. It crunched beneath her teeth and she grinned as the sweet juice trickled down her chin. She wiped at it delicately and turned her gaze on Gaston, cocking her head to stare at him quizzically.

"Is her father really sick?" She asked and Gaston grinned roguishly.

"He's not in full health true but Maurice is a tough old bastard, I may have exaggerated his condition slightly." He said and Regina's smile broadened.

"Oh you devil." She said deviously and he winked at her.

"She'd do anything for her beloved Papa and that crazy old drunk is so easy to manipulate." Gaston said callously and Regina tapped her chin thoughtfully with the apple.

"You have done well, now all we must do is wait… wait for our moment." She said and Gaston nodded. Regina flicked he hand towards the door, silently dismissing the fool and turning away in her chair to face the window. She took another bite of the apple and rested her head on her hand, leaning onto the arm of the chair.

OoOoOoO

That night when Belle got back to her room she was startled to see that another rose had made its way onto her pillow. Red this time but she still smiled as she picked it up daintily from its resting place, smelt it delicately before taking it to join its brothers in her overflowing washing basin. Now there were eight blooms in the small basin and Belle was worried about their survival. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. Maybe she could borrow a glass from one of the storage rooms downstairs? There were, after all, plenty of them and surely no one would miss just one. Making up her mind she turned on her heel and hurried down the ladder again. Making her way downstairs she ran to one of the rooms, unlocked it and stepped into its silent, dusty interior. Expecting to see the beautiful vases and crockery she'd cleaned days ago she gasped as she realised her mistake. Her breath caught in the base of her throat as she realised that this room was not a storage room at all. It was a bedroom, or at least it had been. Where once it had been quite opulent, now there was a thick layer of dust cast over everything and Belle felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she gazed around the dimly lit room. In the gloom she could make out a four-poster bed with heavy green drapes, a chest of draws sat in one corner and a large rug on the floor that Belle is sure is a larger interpretation of her own upstairs. She backed out and closed the door, hurriedly locking it. There was something strangely shrine-like about the room and she tried to shake off the curiosity that now rose inside her like a tidal wave. She moved onto the next room and smiled as she moved to one of the glass cabinets to remove one of the larger vases and a small, narrower one from their respective shelves. Happy that her roses would now have proper homes she tarried upstairs and hurriedly filled them with fresh water. Taking her seven red roses out of the basin Belle lovingly arranged them in the delicate china vase and carried it over to sit beside her mirror. For her special Osiria rose she gave it a place of honour, up on the window sill beside her bed. There it would be the first thing she saw each morning and the last thing she saw at night. Stepping back she looked around her vastly altered room one last time before turning on her heel and exiting the room. She had fifteen minutes to get ready and tonight she felt like dancing till she dropped.

OoOoOoO

"Egyptian, Beauty? Rather exotic don't you think?" August W. Booth asked from his usual seat, taking in her glittering costume with a single raised eyebrow. Belle smiled and pivoted slowly, holding her arms out at oddly bent angles to imitate strange carvings she'd seen in a book about Egyptology once.

"And here I was believing writers were supposed to have vivid imaginations." She teased and slowly descended into the chair beside him, taking a small sip of the sherry he'd gotten for her. He was dressed nicely in a dark corderoy and vest ensemble, which made his warm brown eyes simmer slightly and added to the rugged charm of his face. Everything about August spoke of a carefree wanderer, something he was quite proud of as Belle had found out. In comparison, her costume was a walking dream. Upon her head sat a wig of pitch black braids from which a faux gold headdress sat proudly, displaying an intricately carved adder with garnate eyes. She wore a short tunic of pure white silk that fell off her shoulders and tucked in at her waist to end just above her knees, scandalously revealing at least three quarters of her legs which were clad in golden heels that still gave her some difficulties whenever she ascended or descended stairs. Around her wrists and neck were thick chains of tin painted a bright golden hue and the effect was, overall, dazzling. He laughed and toasted her silently with his own half-filled glass of whiskey.

"Ah but this writer had the misfortune to find the most tantalizing of all muses only to have her refuse in aiding him on his quest for glory." He said rather mournfully and Belle laughed delightedly. August had become her most frequent 'client', as Mary Margret was oft to call the men that frequented speakeasies the Palace hosted, and Belle found the time she spent with him rather fascinating. He was a writer and a traveller, two things that Belle found most interesting. He'd journeyed through every continent the known world had to offer; sailing the entire length of the serpentine Nile, trekking the majestic mountains of Nepal and discovering lemurs in Buddhist temples and even, to her utter amazement, helping to drove a cattle train across the vast red-sanded deserts of outback Australia. His tales of adventure had relit her own eagerness to travel and even though she knew it was fruitless to dream, the stories gave her the hope that, one day, she too would get her own chance to see the world. Snapping herself back to reality Belle lowered her eyes to the table and shrugged innocently.

"Perhaps this muse of yours finds the idea ridiculous… perhaps there is nothing to tell about her." She said softly and August frowned. He reached across the table and grasped her hand gently between two of his.

"I refuse to believe that, everyone and everything has a story but only a few ever get told because people are too afraid to tell them." He said earnestly and Belle blushed vividly from beneath her heavy make-up. Today Ashley had carefully applied enough make up to Belle's face to cover the side of a small house, even her eyelids felt heavy beneath the staggering amount of blue eye shadow and black kohl.

"Why would you want to know about me August? I'm nothing special." She said weakly and he shook his head firmly.

"Yes you are Beauty and do you know why? Because the first time I saw you, you were up there on that platform, terrified out of your mind, and yet you still did what most would never have let themselves do… you gave it a shot. That shows your character more than you know." He said and Belle smiled gently at him.

"I still don't understand." She said and August grinned.

"There are very few brave people in this world Beauty and as a writer I am duty bound to chronicle their adventures." He said primly and Belle laughed.

"Nice try August but you've been trying for days to get me to tell you… you'll have to do better than that." She taunted, hiding her bashful pleasure behind a playful smirk, and he smiled mockingly.

"Damn." He said and she grinned. His gaze turned appealing.

"Can't you reward a man for trying? What harm could it do?" He asked roguishly and Belle felt her resistance to the idea crumbling.

"I fail to see the point of telling you anything, no one cares what women think and even less about how girls like us think… we're expendable, used until we can give no more and then tossed aside." She said sadly and August rolled his eyes.

"Oh lord you're a feminist." He breathed exasperatedly and she shook her head.

"Actually, I think of myself as a human being with the same rights as anyone else." She said and he cocked his head to look at her sceptically. She rolled her eyes.

"It's probably fair to say that some of what I say tends to parallel suffrage idealology but really, injustice doesn't just happen to one select group of people, it affects everyone at some point in their lives but those who could do something about it just don't care." She said tightly and August smiled.

"Then tell me about it, tell me your story so I can make those people listen, open the way for those injustices to stop." He said passionately and Belle shook her head.

"I don't know August." She protested but she could sense a losing battle already and, apparently, so could he. August leaned closer and fixed her azure eyes with his brown ones. Unlike Robert's they were brighter and had a streak of hazel to them. To her surprise Belle found herself not as entranced as she thought she should be. Although they were nice eyes, they were the wrong shade of brown. Just the darker side of muddied leaf rather than smooth, chocolate brown. _Like Robert's? _A snide voice in her head asked and Belle shook her head to rid herself of its amused cynicism.

"Will you do it Beauty? Will you tell me your story? Tell me how a beautiful, intelligent girl like you ended up working the tables of New York's most infamous speakeasy?" He asked after a quiet moment had passed. Belle cocked her head to think.

"I'm not at liberty to say everything… but I can tell you a little, what do you want to know?" She asked and he scrambled about on the floor behind him, pulling out a battered leather satchel that he quickly flipped open. From its depths he pulled out a wad of paper and a pencil. He swept their glasses to the side and placed the objects down, looking up at her expectantly when he was ready.

"Just tell me something about yourself." He said and Belle sighed.

"Um… I'm eighteen years old, nineteen in a few weeks." She said and he grinned. He wrote it down quickly and looked up at her as she tried to think.

"Have you got any family?" He asked and she stopped smiling. She looked down into her lap and fiddled with her beautiful skirt.

"My Mumma died two years ago from pneumonia, the strain of the crash and the house we were living in made her sick and she just… she wasn't happy here anymore." Belle murmured despondently. August stopped writing just long enough to look at her before she spoke again.

"Lucinda was her name. She used to make the most amazing apple turnovers and her rose garden was the most beautiful thing in all the world." She continued softly and August sighed.

"I'm sorry Beauty." He said and she waved him off with a small smile.

"She's always with me, she will always be with me now." Belle murmured and he smiled. Shaking off her sad thoughts Belle thought about what else she could say.

"My Papa used to be an inventor… he made all sorts of amazing things during the Great War. With that money he bought us a little house on the river called Calico House.. I spent most of my childhood there." She said and August hurriedly wrote it down.

"He lives in the Bronx now, where we've lived since the Crash… I only started working and living here the day after Christmas." She said and August looked up at her in shock.

"Honestly?" He asked and she nodded.

"I ran into Mr Gold when I was looking for work down at the boards on Broad Street… my Papa had just lost his job and we needed the money. Mr Gold said he needed a housekeeper so I just took the opportunity." She said and August's smile turned sardonic.

"Oh yes, bet you weren't expecting this." He said sharply and sent a consternating glance around the rambunctious, dimly lit room. Belle giggled and took a small sip of her cheap sherry.

"Oh no, I do this for fun." She said happily and he started. At his puzzled gazed she laughed and stared off into the distance.

"I'm covering for one of my friends. She's in love and needs a few hours to escape. I took over for her that night you first saw me and, for some reason, I just kept coming back." She said and he cocked his head to the side.

"You did all this for a friend? You terrified yourself in front of a pack of mongrels just so Juliet could sneak out to see her Romeo?" He asked and Belle giggled.

"When you put it that way, I suppose I did. It was all so romantic, like something out of a fairy tale, I suppose I felt like I could be a fairy godmother of a sort… help her have her happy ending, even if I couldn't have mine." She said and broke off, knowing she'd said too much. A gentle hand fell on her arm and she looked up reluctantly to see August smiling across the table at her.

"Beauty, what's keeping you here?" He asked and she shook her head.

"My word." She muttered and he sank back into his seat to contemplate her answer.

"Are you happy here?" He asked and Belle thought over his words. Was she happy here? She thought back to her times spent with Ruby, Ash and Mary Margret. To her morning tea with Robert. To the quiet nights watching him spin by his wheel. To sliding across marble floors and exploring storage rooms. With all this in mind, her answer was easy.

"Yes. I didn't think I was going to be but, the people in this place grow on you until you couldn't imagine life without them." She said and August chuckled.

"Alright, big question." He said and Belle nodded warily.

"Mr Gold, friend or foe?" He asked and Belle let out a breath she hadn't even known she was holding. That was his big question?

"One of the best employers a girl could hope for." She said and August stared at her in amazement.

"Scouts honour. Mr Gold has been nothing but kind to me." She said and August nodded slowly, writing this down and musing on it silently.

"I'll come tomorrow night, and we can pick up from there." He said and she nodded. Holding out his hand over the table he took her pale hand in his and pressed his lips to the knuckles. Entranced Belle smiled and gently withdrew her digits from his grasp.

"Have a pleasant evening August." She said and he bowed.

"And you Beauty… sweet dreams." He said and she smiled. Watching him disappear through the doors that lead to the atrium Belle suddenly found herself to be extremely tired. Waving farewell to Ruby, Ashley and Mary Margret she shimmed to the hidden panel in the wall and mounted the stairs. Soon she was removing her heavy make-up and changing out of the glittering costume into her night dress. Yawning broadly she staggered to her bed and collapsed onto it. Muttering a quick prayer for her Papa's health and Roberts quick return she closed her eyes and let herself drift off to sleep.

OoOoOoO

Something awoke her before dawn. Gazing towards her window she saw that although the sun had yet to break over the horizon, her Osiria rose gleamed beautifully in the dimness of her room. She couldn't have said what it was that awoke her but the strong feeling that someone had just been in her room made her shiver a little. Hurriedly she tried to locate its source but when she looked around, she saw nothing but her usual room ornaments… and another red rose. She shook her head and threw back to covers, stepping towards the desk and carefully placing the flower into its appropriate vase. Humming to herself Belle sat down and pulled her brush through her hair lazily. It was useless to try and sleep now so she slowly got her things together and leisurely drifted downstairs. When she arrived she smiled. Granny was humming along to a song on the newly purchased wireless and Ruby was slumped over a pot of strong coffee. Ashley was nowhere to be seen and Mary Margret, Belle assumed, was already upstairs in her room. She cleared her throat and smiled at the Lucas women fondly. Ruby scowled slightly but waved from her position and Granny turned to Belle with a Gold worthy smirk plastered to her lips.

"Now Belle, I don't wish to alarm you but… I'd best be getting that tea ready… its almost seven." She said and Belle stared at the white haired woman confusedly. The breathy, blues singer in the background crooned on about her breaking heart as Belle tried to concentrate.

"Seven? Why would I need to worry about seven unless…" She trailed off and a loud scream escaped her lips as the meaning of Granny's words hit her with all the force of a steam train. Ruby jumped and fell off her chair with a loud bang but Granny on the other hand simply smiled.

"He's back!" Belle exclaimed and Granny nodded. Belle stood frozen in the door for a full second then her senses kicked in and she raced to the tea shelf. She quickly prepared the silver tray, collecting their tea set, the tea pot and its accompanying breakfast partners. She could feel the twin pairs of eyes on her as she worked and she paused only for a moment when the kettle and bread was placed over the fire.

"He's truly back?" She asked and Ruby nodded slowly.

"So much the better, I have a hangover." She muttered darkly and Belle smiled happily. Ruby stared at her for a moment before snorting slightly.

"Oh god you're actually happy he's back." She said dubiously and Belle blushed faintly.

"Well, yes actually… I missed him." She admitted softly and gripped the now whistling black-bottomed kettle inside a tea towel, pouring its boiling load into the awaiting tea pot. When she turned back she found Ruby staring at her with no small amount of amusement on her face.

"Missed him?" She repeated bemusedly and Belle's blush increased. She looked desperately towards Granny who merely chuckled and waggled a finger at her.

"You're on your own love, and I suggest if you want to continue your lone stand against my grand-daughters questions… get up there." She said quickly and Belle frowned at the both of them playfully. Picking up the tray she waltzed with it merrily to the foot of the stairs. Ruby began to sing quietly, lifting Belle's nervous mood slightly as she spun around and began to climb the stairs. At the third floor she paused and licked her lips. Swallowing heavily she pushed open the door and stepped out into the corridor, her gaze immediately falling on the office door. She took a deep breath, unsure why she was so nervous, and walked towards it. Pausing before the closed portal she leaned in and held her ear to the wood, listening for any tell-tale signs that he was there. Trembling slightly she raised her fist and knocked three times. There was a suspension of time and sound, in which Belle's heart seemed to have stopped and her mouth gone dry.

"Intrude." A familiar brogue sounded and with a smile Belle pushed the door open to reveal…

**Ohhh, cliffhanger. Just what condition exactly will Belle find him? Is the Dark One still there? Cliffy, just because it's a nasty trick we authors do to get more reviews… nah just kidding! So here we are at chapter 11 and I just need you guys to know that I am forever in awe at the support you have given me. Next chapter promises to be interesting… there will be fights between our favourite couple, another visit from Henry, Regina's plot unfolds a little more and… a birthday announcement; but for who? Review and you just might find you… also it would be nice to know what you thought of the chapter :P**


	12. Chapter 12

Twelve:

**Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for all your amazing reviews. I can't believe the support I'm getting from you guys and I just want to say that you can all rest in the knowledge that the end of this chapter is not going to be a bloody cliff-hanger like the last one. And so, without further ado… I present; Chapter 12. **

… An empty room.

Belle stared around the vacant space and frowned. The curtains were half drawn again, meaning someone had been in here, and there was a fire crackling in the grate that had only been cleaned out the day before. She propped the silver tray more comfortably in her arms and stepped into the room. She cleared her throat.

"Just put it on the table Belle." Robert said softly and, Belle thought, tiredly. She smiled thinly and walked stiffly over to the awaiting table.

"Well now, it's good to see you too Robert, I thought I was chasing ghosts for a moment there." She said tartly and looked over towards the desk where she realised his armchair had been turned around to face the window, effectively shielding him from her gaze. He made a small noise but otherwise ignored her. She frowned heavily now and stepped towards the desk, arms crossing over her chest.

"Robert?" She asked and his left hand flourished lazily from behind his chair.

"Yes Belle I heard you." He murmured and Belle's mouth fell open. In all the time she'd known Gold he'd never been rude, at least not like he was now. Sure he'd tease her, remind her when she made a mistake or even berate her when she overstepped her place but she had done nothing to warrant this kind of behaviour. Her hands came down on the table and she leaned over it to glare intensely at the back of his chair.

"Mr Gold, I need to speak with you." She said tightly and he sighed.

"Can it wait Bell, I'm rather busy." He said and she snarled.

"No it cannot. For an entire week I've been here waiting for you to come back, and that you have and it's high time you addressed some things that have more than festered in this place in your absence." She said sternly, but her tirade might as well have fallen on deaf ears. Mr Gold simply ignored her. Belle snarled.

"Don't ignore me Gold, if you haven't the common decency to respect me then I will walk out of that door and you will never see me again." She promised and finally he spoke.

"You can't leave, you signed a contract. Think of your father…" He said nonchalantly and Belle's worry over her father blew up like a midwinter gale. That worry became white hot fury.

"My Papa is sick!" She bellowed and the sound reverberated throughout the room like a bugle call.

"He's at home right now and he needs me. But you would know all about that wouldn't you Mr Gold, you'd tell me if something like that happened to my father because everyone knows what a good, honest person…" She never got to finish because at that moment Gold threw himself out of his chair and whirled to face her. The weak sunlight that drifted through the half opened curtain threw most of his features into shadow and although she couldn't see all of his face his eyes were blazing almost as brightly as hers. Unperturbed she sneered into his face.

"What?" He asked, his tone aghast, and Belle drew herself up.

"Oh that's right, pretend you didn't know." She scoffed harshly and her azure eyes became cold enough to freeze fire. Snapping like twin shards of electricity she leaned over the desk to try and peer into his half shadowed face.

"Belle, I don't know what you're…"

"Don't know what I'm talking about? You? Mr Gold I'm ashamed of you. The last time I hear from you, you bellow at me to leave you alone. The next day you leave with no explanation and I don't see you for almost an entire week. During that time I not only find out that my Papa is ill but that you knew and never told me. Now when I confront you, you still act as though nothing happened, completely brush me off when all I tried…" She was cut off again but the half strangled sound that escaped him.

"Belle, I swear I knew nothing about your father." He said earnestly and Belle's fiery words dried up in the face of his sincerity. She faltered. She stared at him in shock, her mouth slightly open.

"What?" She said, momentarily forgetting her manners. Gold sighed and turned back to face the window. His half was still unobservable but his posture spoke of his discomfort and something else… Belle realised that he was in pain. It was in every muscle of his shoulders, lacing his voice with a tightness she hadn't realised he'd possessed until now.

"Belle, I know you are upset but I need you to leave me now. I promise I will explain but right now…" Now it was her turn to interrupt.

"Robert, turn around." She ordered and he stuttered. She lifted her chin and walked around the desk towards him. He in turn backed away and Belle noticed that his limp was more pronounced, he almost couldn't stand on it. Her anger melted away, not entirely, but enough that she couldn't stop the concern that now flowed through her.

"Robert, are you alright?" She asked and he glared at her.

"Fine dearie, now please get out." He asked politely but Bell heard the quiet steel in his voice and raised her chin defiantly.

"No." She said softly and reached out to touch his arm gently. He flinched but didn't move away. She stepped closer and could now see his face. A breathless gasp left her lips as the fading swell of a bruise around his right temple could be seen.

"Oh my god." She said and hurriedly moved to his side. Without thoughts she raised her hands up and carefully brushed the livid skin. He tensed slightly, but she smoothed the bruise as gently as a butterfly's wing brushes a rose petal. Her anger had now faded almost completely and she felt herself tear up slightly.

"Who did this to you?" She demanded and he sneered.

"It doesn't matter Belle, please…" His voice had gained urgency but he lacked conviction, unable to meet her eyes. Her fingers ghosted over the rest of his face, stroking his cheekbones and timidly caressing his brow. His eyelids fluttered slightly and he relaxed into her touch. Belle felt her heart break slightly, what had happened to him? Why was he pushing her away? She swallowed and tugged at his arm again.

"No Robert, I will not go. Come." She ordered, throwing the curtain wide before guiding him towards their chairs by the fireplace. With more light in the office now, she could see him more clearly. He looked dreadful. His eyes were hollow and sunken in slightly, dark pools of shadow surrounded them and made his thin features seem gaunt and stricken. He was paler too, his skin taking on the pallor of someone who hadn't seen daylight in days and his hair seemed to dangle limply about his tired shoulders. His whole posture screamed exhaustion and pain and Belle felt awful for pushing him… even though her point had been a valid one. She stared at him for a full second before looking down at the silver tray and quickly preparing his tea. She dumped it with an extra spoonful of sugar today, knowing that he could use it, and after allowing it to steep for the appropriate amount of time carefully picked it up and handed the chipped to her silent employer. Robert took the proffered tea cup and held it gingerly in his left hand, his right curled slightly on his lap. Belle watched as he brought the drink to his lips and took a sip. He sighed like a man receiving clemency from a hangman's noose.

"Oh god I missed that dearie." He murmured softly and Belle smiled. He took another sip and some colour returned to his pale cheeks, his eyes lost some of their hollowness and he was able to unwind slightly, sinking back into the chair. Belle reached out to make her own but his right hand reached out before her hand was even half way tot eh tray. Robert's faint hiss of pain confirmed her worst fears and she now noticed the black gloves that adorned his hands.

"Robert, show me your hand." She said quietly and he frowned. He ignored her request and instead set his tea cup down on its saucer to prepare her own cup. She raised a single eyebrow at him when he handed her the finished brew, taking the cup but not sipping from it.

"Robert… let me help you." She said and put the tea cup down to move off the chair. She knelt before him and grasped his hand gently between hers. He couldn't contain the gasp of pain nor fully hide the wince. She apologised softly and cautiously removed the leather glove.  
"Oh god Robert… what have you been doing?" She demanded and he sighed.

"Nothing you need be concerned about Belle." He said and his voice had deepened slightly, making the brogue thicker and his tone far gruffer than she remembered. Tenderly she moved closer and inspected his hand. The usually delicate fingers were swollen beyond anything she'd seen before and at least two of them looked dislocated.

"Why didn't you set them properly?" She asked as she felt the joints warily and lifted her chin to look straight into his soft brown eyes. The orbs were full of deep seated emotion, most of which she couldn't read but Belle was certain he was hiding something from her.

"It was… difficult to find the time dearie. Do not distress yourself." He said softly and removed his broken hand from her grip. She winced as he grasped the distorted digits and, pausing only for a moment, yanked them sharply into place. She stood abruptly.

"Don't move." She ordered and ran to the door. She flew to the hidden staircase door and down the spiralling steps to the kitchen. She burst into the steamy room and ran to Granny.

"Is there a cooler-box?" She asked and the old woman stared at her uncomprehendingly.

"What?" she stammered and Belle grasped her shoulders firmly.

"Ice. I need ice." She said and the woman nodded, pointing towards a small, cooler-box in the corner of the room, furthest from the stove. Belle ran to it and threw open its lid to reveal all the meat for the day packed between solid blocks of ice. She yanked her shawl off her shoulders and hoisted out a smaller piece, wrapping it carefully within the white cloth. Shawl use No. 189: ice carrier. She carried the now frigid garment upstairs and walked back into the room where Gold still sat, surprisingly, by the fireplace. She knelt once more by his side and grasped for his hand. He winced and she frowned at him.

"Oh stop it, you're worse than my Papa with a hangover." She scolded half-teasingly and to her surprise he laughed. Her eyes rose to meet his and a small but genuine smile flittered across her lips. She pressed the cold cloth to Roberts hand and held it firmly in place.

"Belle… I…" Robert began and Belle held up her hand.

"I know, Robert. You didn't know." She said softly and frowned, her other hand reaching up instinctively to the base of her throat. Beneath the modest, navy-blue collar the diamond necklace still sparkled and Belle felt it gingerly through the woollen fabric.

"I don't understand… why would he say that you knew?" She breathed and Robert stared at her calculatingly.

"Who?" He demanded roughly and Belle almost wished she hadn't been born with a tongue. Great, way to go and awaken his suspicions again.

"No one… it doesn't matter right now." She said and he frowned, his eyes hardening with distrust. Belle winced and drew back, moving to sit back on her own chair and sip at her now lukewarm tea. Although perfect in taste its temperature wasn't right and she was forced to put it back down. An uncomfortable silence reigned until she looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm glad you're back." She admitted quietly and his eyes widened slightly before returning to normal. She nodded, and began to fiddle once more with the edging of her work dress.

"It was odd not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to get you a cup of tea, although the sleep-ins were nice." She said lightly and he couldn't quite hold back the twitch at the corner of his lips. She laughed and pursed her lips playfully.

"I saw that, you can't take it back now." She teased and Robert glanced up at her exasperatedly, rolling his eyes long sufferingly. The silence returned but this time it was far more relaxed and she smiled as he reached out to remake her cup of tea. When he had successfully completed the little ceremony he handed it to her as regally as he would the Queen of England and she took a grateful sip. Her eyes closed and she eased back into the armchair.

"Oh god yes, it's been a week since I drank something that good… sherry's all well and good but tea, nothing beats a cup of tea in the morning." She murmured and cracked a single eyelid to peer at him curiously as he spluttered.

"You were drinking sherry?" He asked and she smirked.

"Of course, it's what all the girls are drinking these days." She said candidly, taking another leisurely sip of tea. Robert stared at her in horror.

"You shouldn't be drinking that filth." He muttered and she quirked an eyebrow.

"And why is that?" She demanded and he raised his chin slightly.

"Because alcohol makes monsters of men and fools of women… you're probably too young to know this Belle but too much of a good thing can make you worse off then you thought." Robert said morosely and Belle giggled slightly.

"Oh please, it's only a couple of glasses with the girls before work… um, no one gets hurt." She added at his unimpressed stare. She swallowed and looked down.

"Surely you have a drink from time to time." She said shortly, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. He smirked coldly and shook his head.

"I haven't had a drink in almost 10 years Belle, it makes me into a person I'd rather not think about." He said and his tone seemed to waver between savagery and frank acceptance. Belle felt a chill run down her spine at his words… there was more to them, but he wasn't going to say anything and she wasn't in the mood to push him into anything now. Conflict didn't suit them.

"Alright, no more sherry." She said and he looked at her, obviously trying to judge whether she was being serious or not. She smiled and held a hand over her heart.

"I swear it, on the honour of being a Frenchwoman, I will only ever drink red wine and never again shall cheap, foul tasting sherry pass my lips." She swore seriously and he nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. She wrinkled her nose playfully at him and took another sip of delicious tea, savouring its sweetness.

"So Belle, it would seem you still have a bone to pick with me." Robert said and Belle sighed, nodding.

"Well first off, I have to know for certain… did you know about my Papa?" She asked and he shook his head.

"I swear I did not know. I will look into it and if he is as sick as it has been said…" He trailed off and Belle stared at him hopefully.

"If he's sick, will you let me see him?" She asked and he frowned.

"Perhaps… I would not place high hopes upon it." He said snidely but Belle felt her eyes brighten.

"I won't beg but I would be eternally grateful to you." She said and he started.

"Gratitude's not much of a currency in this place." He said softly and Belle looked up at him with a start. She stared at him for a long moment. He smile innocently and took a leisurely sip of his tea, stretching his leg out slightly and wincing. Her worry gave way to concern and she bit her lip.

"You should sleep Robert. No offence, but you look terrible." She said and he chuckled.

"None taken… I've been called far worse dearie." He murmured and Belle flushed, then went rigid. She silently cursed the people who couldn't see the Robert Gold she saw, who only saw the infamous Mr Gold and never tried to look beyond the surface. She shifted in her seat and gazed at her taciturn employer.

"Mr Gold, I've been clearing about the third floor… is there anything you don't want me to touch? I've been through most of the storage rooms but I believe there are bedrooms on that floor as well." She said and he jolted upright, his eyes becoming alert. Then he relaxed.

"No is fine. Those rooms are doing nothing but collecting dust… just make sure, for the bedrooms, that everything returns to its original place." He said and Belle nodded. She twiddled with her fingers and then remembered her long ago promise to Mary Margret.

"Oh and Robert, if you wouldn't mind… can Mary Margret come off probation now, it's been almost two weeks since she'd been out of her room." Belle asked and Robert frowned.

"She's still in there?" He asked and Belle stared at him.

"Yes… no one was sure what was going on, you left in such a hurry and… well apparently you were rather intimidating that… night." She paused and swallowed.

"Belle?" She looked up and saw that Robert was pushing himself out of his chair. She followed suit.

"You may tell Mary Margret, foolish girl, that she is free to wander as she will." He shook his head and turned away. Belle smiled and collected the silver tea tray. She began to hum, feeling a great weight lifting itself off her chest. She hadn't realised just how much his presence affected her, just half an hour with him and everything seemed grand with the world. She waltzed to the door, ignoring his bemused chuckle. She curtseyed prettily and he cocked his head in a small bow. She winked and turned on her heel to wander away down the corridor. Moments later she was back in the kitchen and the wireless was playing again. Ruby was tapping out a new song and Belle smiled as the familiar lyrics washed over her.

_Three little words, oh what I'd give for that wonderful phrase,  
To hear those three little words that's all I'd live for the rest of my days.  
And what I feel in my heart, they tell sincerely.  
No other words can tell it half so clearly.  
Three little words, eight little letters which simply mean I love you.  
_

She sang along with Duke Ellington as she washed up the tray and all the tea ornaments. Granny had already left for the markets and Ruby was yawning broadly, her brown eyes twinkling slightly as she gazed at her friend.

"Well, if you ever decide to stop dancing… you could always give a singing career a try." She teased and Belle poked her tongue out at the brunette who simply giggled and rolled her eyes.

"So, how's the old bastard?" She asked, indicating up the stairs towards the third floor and Belle frowned.

"You really shouldn't call him that." She protested and Ruby sniggered.

"Just because you're in love Belle doesn't mean the rest of us like the man… this is the Depression girl, you take what you can get even when it's not very much." She said and Belle sighed.

"You're looking at it the wrong way, try to see the silver lining." She said bracingly, coming to sit down beside Ruby. The wireless continued to belt out 'Three Little Words' and Belle cocked her head.

"Did you say something about love?" She asked and Ruby actually laughed this time.

"Well now, all those late nights must be catching up with you because you're normally a lot sharper than that." She crowed and Belle rolled her eyes irritably. Ruby smirked and tapped a rhythm on the table top.

"Ruby…" Belle whined and he friend held up her hands in silent protest.

"Alright, jokes aside… for now. Did you tell him?" Ruby asked and Belle frowned.

"Yes." Belle said and Ruby frowned.

"And he was okay with it?" She asked and Belle smiled.

"Yes, in fact I was on my way up to Mary Margret's room to tell her the good news." She said happily and Ruby's face creased with confusion.

"What?" She asked and now it was Belle's turn to look confused.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What are you talking about?

"What are _you_ talking about?"

"Your newest career path belle, have you told Gold about it?" She asked and Belle bit her lip.

"Well that answers my question already. Belle, you have to tell him sooner or later otherwise he's going to be pissed." Ruby said and Belle nodded dismally.

"I probably won't be working tonight… have to catch up on that thing called sleep. Apparently it's good for the body." She joked and Ruby mimed straggling herself.

"Oh god Belle, don't ever become a comedian… it'll destroy the world." She teased and Belle scowled playfully at her friend. The two laughed and Belle stared down at the table between them quietly.

"You look beat Belle, maybe you should sleep." Ruby said and Belle yawned.

"I still have to clean the atrium but maybe I'll only to half a day's cleaning…" Belle agreed and Ruby nodded, satisfied.

"Alright, I'm out. See you whenever." Ruby said and Belle nodded, standing with her friend and moving tot eh door.

"Tell Mary Margret, if you see her, that she's a free woman." Belle said and Ruby smiled.

"Now how'd you wrangling that one?" She asked snidely and Belle frowned in confusion.

"I asked him, he seemed quite shocked to no she was still in her room." Belle said and Ruby frowned.

"Belle, the last time he put someone on probation they were on the damn thing for three months… by comparison Mary Margret just got off with a slap on the wrist." Ruby said and Belle pulled a face.

"I'm serious Belle, you're changing him…" Ruby said and Belle snorted.

"Mr Gold is… Mr Gold. No one can change him." Belle said firmly an Ruby sighed.

"I used to think so too… but…" She stopped and shook her head. Whatever she'd been going to say died in her throat and she lifted her hand instead to wave a half-hearted goodbye. Belle watched her bowed figure disappear and shook her head bemusedly as she went to get out her wash cloths and bucket… she was in the mood to have some fun.

_OoOoOoO_

Robert collapsed back into his chair and buried his face into the palms of his hands, running his fingers through his tangled brown hair in frustration.

"Sick, twisted, perverted old man." He berated viciously and leaned back once more to stare at the ceiling in despair. She was a child for god's sake, why the hell was he thinking about her in such a way? She was young enough to be his daughter, did that not stop his illicit thoughts from flowing? Apparently not. The moment her hand had brushed across his face Robert had almost buckled at the sheer intensity of the feelings that arose inside him. Her gentle caress, her innocent touch, had burned like flame against his skin and he'd god damned leaned into it like some depraved fiend. Dear god what was becoming of him that he desired the touch of an eighteen year old girl… when had he fallen so low? Disgusted with himself he stood and limped to the fireplace. She'd managed to make him change his mind about the Blanchard woman… he'd been under the impression the girl would be spending the next six months in solitary and now… now he'd let her out without even the merest resistance. Oh yes, a will of iron he possessed indeed. Robert shook his head and reached down to sooth the growing ache in his knee. The damn thing was playing up again, as it always did after episodes, but now it seemed that age was getting the better of him. Years ago when he'd been a much younger man, almost directly after the accident, the stiffening of his bodily joints hadn't been as noticeable, but now., as he steadily approached fifty, Robert could clearly see the future… one where his body was going to fail on him and then, then he'd be left with nothing but an empty memory and the Dark One. Cautiously he stretched out the limb and winced when the buggered tendons protested profusely at the action. Gripping his cane tightly he limped heavily to the door and exited the room, which had grown rather cold without Belle's presence, and down the corridor towards the elevator. He waited until the marvellous machine arrived and gratefully stepped into its glittering embrace. He waited patiently as it trundled downwards and when he got the bottom floor he had to stifle the instinctive laughter that threatened to spill out of him. The sight that greeted him was enough to make any man laugh, but Robert Gold was no ordinary man and as such managed to curb his amusement. Belle was mid-way down the atrium, two wet cloths tied around her feet as she slid down the smooth marble tiles with her arms held out to steady herself. She was extraordinarily graceful, despite the fact she was currently sliding like a five year old on ice skates down a marble atrium and from the looks of things was having a marvellous time of things. She pressed off the doors and turned around to start again, only to see him standing in the doorway of the elevator. Her smile slipped off her face as she stared at him in shock. With her ruby red mouth hanging ajar she blinked slowly and straightened warily.

"Mr Gold? What… I mean, I was just… oh god I don't even know anymore." She stuttered weakly and he grinned as he stepped warily out of the elevator and limped towards her, mindful of the wet patches of marble. She drew back and looked down at her soaking feet shamefacedly. He smirked and caught her chin in his hand, forcing her gaze upwards to meet his. For a moment he was caught by the stunning blue of her eyes, the gentle smile that flickered briefly at the corners of her mouth and the stray, russet curl that hung down her alabaster cheek. At this distance he could see the shadows that circled her azure eyes, he remembered vaguely that she'd often alluded to the fact she was working later then usual but for the life of him couldn't think of anything important enough to rob her of beauty… not that she looked ugly, just tired. He thought quickly and realised he was still holding her chin gently, having just being staring at her like some idiot for the past half-minute and hurriedly stepped back with a disgruntled cough. She too snapped out of her gaze and he took comfort from the blush that stole across her cheeks. She was always fetching when she blushed. Okay, this had gone on far enough. Clamping down hard on any feelings of tenderness towards the girl he controlled his features into a harsh stare and sneered.

"I'm heading out now Belle, I expect you'll stay out of trouble." He said and Belle frowned in confusion. The blush faded almost as rapidly as it had appeared.

"Why yes, where are you going?" She asked curiously and he snorted.

"It's none of your concern Belle, do not leave this building." He said sternly and she nodded, twisting her fingers together as he stepped towards the door, withdrew his own master key from his pocket and unlocked both the bars and doors. Stepping out into the soft sunlight he paused and looked back at her. He seemed on the verge of speaking and she shook her head. Her feelings were apparently hurt since she turned away after firmly closing the doors. So much the better, it was better that neither were encouraged, that way he could pretend there was nothing between them. A small voice whispered to him and he tried desperately to ignore it but it was insistent.

_If it is better, why do you feel like shit? _

"Shut up." He growled and pulled his coat closer around himself. He stepped off the curb and stared around the bustling street. People skirted him fearfully, keeping their heads low and the steps quick. He sneered and stalked down the side walk, making sure to glare at almost everyone brave enough to meet his eyes.

_OoOoOoO_

After a few blocks he hailed one of the few taxis available these days and hurriedly told the man the address. Soon enough they arrived and Robert glowered when the man proffered a price that far extended the required amount. Stuttering the man lowered the price until it was once again reasonable and Robert sneered as he stepped out of the taxi, ignoring the vehicle and looking towards the small house with bemusement. A flash of movement in the upper window of the house to his left made his head snap up to look. A flash of hair-curlers and wrinkles made him smirk. Fantastic, the neighbourhood watch was on his case already. Rolling his eyes he ordered the taxi to wait and stepped leisurely towards the door. He pushed open the creaking gate and his cane struck he worn garden path harder then was really necessary. He paused before the door then raised his fist to knock three times. Clutching the tip of his cane tightly, wary of the pain that still clung to his right hand, Robert rolled his eyes as shuffling sounds reached his ears from behind the plain wooden portal. It was flung open and he grinned maliciously at the owner.

"Mr de Boire, may I come in?" He asked sardonically and swept inside as the stunned man simply continued to stare at him in shock. He stood in the tiny greeting hall and stared around the small house. There was a stale air to the place, coupled with the mess of old clothes and empty whiskey bottles and when Robert turned back to look at the house's owner he saw that the man himself was in poorer state then his home. His blue eyes, some much like his daughter's, her bleared with alcohol and his clothes and hair were dishevelled. His hands were blackened with either soot or oil and Robert held his breath politely as the man approached.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pound you into the next plane of existence Gold? One good reason." The man asked and although his words were slightly slurred he spoke with the diction of a veteran drunkard. Robert rolled his eyes irritably and moved to stand before the empty fireplace, staring at the two photographs that gracd its mantelpiece. One was a wedding photo of Maurice and a young woman Robert assumed was Belle's mother, they both possessed the same delicate features and, although the picture was black and white, the same hair colour. Next to it was a picture that made his heart flip. It was Belle only a few years ago, sitting happily in a bay window in a house he didn't recognise, her head bent over a book and the stubbornly stray curl of russet hair trailing down her cheek. Her face was a picture of pue happiness and he realised that she, like so many others, had suffered terribly in the Crash. She was much thinner now, her clothes were not as fine but there was still a spark of that old Belle left in her eyes, that thirst for adventure and life. He looked away to see Belle's father staring at him belligerently.

"can you take anything else from me? Why are you here Gold?" He demanded weakly and Robert felt the tiniest flakes of regret, which he quickly stifled. He was doing this man a favour, he should be grateful. He strode lazily towards the man.

"I came to check up on you, as a favour to Belle." He said and gazed idly around the dusty room.

"Every thought of employing a housekeeper?" He asked candidly and smirked as an empty bottle smashed against the wall just beside his head. He looked up to see the man trembling with rage. Then his face collapsed and he began to cough, great racking shakes that stole his breath and forced him down into a nearby chair. He clutched at his broad chest and his whole frame trembled with the fury of the attack. When the worst was over he drew a jagged breath and stared up at Robert who was now calculating if it was worth staying or not. Clearly the man was ill, but he was not in bed or really doing anything to better his health. Was it worth staying and prolonging the man's suffering, only to report home to Belle and tell her? As he puzzled over this Maurice stood.

"I had a daughter Gold, the only thing worth anything to me in this whole world and you took her away. You are a monster Gold, you take what little people have in the promise of making things better and in the end it makes them wish they'd never heard of you… get out of my house." He ordered and Gold sighed.

"I haven't finished." He said quietly and strolled languidly to sit on the edge of the settee where he'd first seen Belle inside this house. The other man gaped at him and sat down, stunned.

"What?" He asked gruffly and Robert rolled his eyes.

"Belle has heard, and I still have to find out exactly how, that you are ill. She seeks permission to come and see you, but I have found you to be perfectly healthy." He said and Maurice frowned.

"Damn you." He breathed and Robert smirked.

"Damn me? Mr de Boire, I'm already damned to the lowest depths of hell so it's no good asking for more than god himself has already done." Gold said smoothly and his eyes strayed to the picture of Belle on the mantle. He frowned.

"Belle misses you but she is in no way being mistreated." He said and Maurice sneered.

"Oh, and I suppose you're able to live with yourself in saying that, never mind the consequences it will have for my Belle in the future." Maurice said and Gold frowned slightly. Confusion rose in him and he leaned idly on his cane to mask it.

"Pray tell dearie, what consequences do you suppose Belle would have?" He asked and Maurice sneered.

"You're lucky Gaston found her and still swears to love her, till swears to marry her, you've ruined her Gold, she'll never be able to look decent people in the eye thanks to you." Maurice shouted and Robert quirked a brow in confusion.

"Who?" He asked and Maurice sneered.

"Her fiancé Gaston de Ravine… didn't she tell you?" Maurice asked curiously and Robert went rigid. A fiancé? Belle had a fiancé? His Belle, no… not his Belle, he now realised he'd been a fool. Of course she'd have a fiancé, she was young and beautiful, obviously some young whelp would have asked her by now to marry him. The only strange thing was that she'd never mentioned it before… why was that? As he deliberated over this he realised de Boire was still staring at him.

"No, she never said anything." He murmured and Maurice frowned.

"She's lucky, any other man would have given her up… but you've never met Gaston." He said and Gold stood with a sneer.

"And I can guarantee Mr de Boire, that this Gaston has never met the likes of me." Gold said softly and met the man's furious gaze without flinching, his eyes hardening until the other man flinched and looked away. The tension grew and Robert was about to speak when there was a hurried fluttering at the door. Maurice coughed again, his chest heaving as he lumbered to the door and threw it open.

"Lettie?" He said and Gold stood, limping across the room to peer at the door from around the corner. A slight, middle-aged woman with greying hair and thick glasses gazed at him suspiciously. She notched her chin in his direction, addressing Maurice.

"This him?" She asked and the man nodded, sighing heavily. She nodded tersely and her cool grey eyes met his.

"Mr Gold, I have something for you." She said and he frowned.

"I don't believe we've met." He said and she smiled thinly.

"That is correct, but none the less I know you and you alone can take this package… here." She said and stepped briskly across the threshold. In her arms, he now noticed, was a thick package wrapped in brown paper and string. She moved forward bravely and dumped the package in his hands. He nearly dropped it when the weight aggravated the broken bone in his right palm and he scowled blackly at her. She shrugged and turned on her heel. Pausing at the door she turned and fixed him with a dark glare of her own.

"You take that to Belle and you tell her she doesn't ever have to return them… they're hers now." She said softly and without another word disappeared into the pale winter morning. Now more thoroughly confused then ever Robert shook his head and stepped closer to the door. He paused, looking at the man whose home he had intruded upon.

"I will inform Belle of your condition, if you worsen… perhaps you should call, she would never forgive me…" He stopped and swallowed slightly. He nodded brusquely at the man and stepped outside hurriedly. He walked quickly across the yard, aware of the neighbourhood's gaze and slid into the back of the taxi that still awaited him. When they were driving again Robert looked over the little package the woman, Lettie, had given him. It was heavy, mostly square or rectangular in shape. The brown paper hid most of it from view but a soft sliding alerted him to the fact that it consisted of more than one object. Books. He decided and frowned. He thought back to Belle's picture and realised that he really knew nothing about her, he didn't know her likes or dislikes, he didn't know anything about her childhood or her dreams, he'd never asked her what she'd rather be doing then spending her time cleaning marble floors and storage rooms.

OoOoOoO

The atrium was spotless when he returned and he smiled slightly at the memory of Belle's glee when she'd slid its length on those ridiculous, soaking cloths. There was a murmuring echoing from the club room and he walked towards it, carefully opening it a crack to peer inside. Belle was there, as was Ruby, Ashley and Mary Margret. A wireless had been placed on one of the tables and he watched curiously as the four moved in a sombre waltz. A high voice broke the moment and his gaze flicked towards a familiar, dark haired boy, sitting beside the wireless with a smile on his face.

"My turn!" He cried and the group disbanded, Ruby and Belle broke apart from their waltz and Ashley and Mary Margret also turned to look at him.

"Do you even know how do waltz?" Ruby asked the boy and he blushed.

"No." He said and Belle smiled.

"I'll teach you Sir Henry… come on over." She said and Ruby nodded, moving to take Henry's seat by the wireless as the oy got up and approached Belle with an expression that rivalled that of a condemned prisoner facing the noose. Belle laughed and ruffled his hair. He screwed up his nose and scowled at her playfully. He didn't know why he didn't say anything. He also didn't know why he was angry that the four of them had let the boy in. He smiled and gently eased intot he room, sitting down at the nearest table and keeping silent as he watched Belle carefully instruct Henry on the correct way to stand and move during a waltz.

"Now. My hand goes on your shoulder, like this, and my other hand takes yours, like so." She said and placed the corresponding appendages in their proper places. Henry nodded, gazing around at Ashley and Mary Margret who had now restarted their waltz, twirling around the room and laughing with each other.

"Your remaining hand goes on my waist." She instructed and Henry blushed.

"Really?" He asked and Belle smiled.

"But of course, it's the man's job to lead and the easiest way to guide me is to push or pull at my waist… go ahead." She said and tentatively Henry placed his hand on Belle's waist. It was a semi-comical sight, a beautiful woman bending slightly to dance with a ten year old but it also brought back distant memories of his own mother teaching him how to dance. Robert smiled and placed the package on the table.

"Now listen to the music, you'll notice that a pattern starts emerging. 1… 2, 3. 1… 2,3. 1… 2,3." She said and Henry cocked his head to listen. He nodded and Belle smiled.

"All you need to do is step in time to the counts, one slow, two quick. You choose a direction and I will follow… got it?" She asked and he nodded. Cautiously he stepped forwards and Belle moved fluidly back. Henry stumbled and drew away.

"I'll never get it." HE said and Belle chuckled.

"It was your fist try Henry, give it another go." She said and he frowned, sighing heavily as he repositioned his hands.

"How about I lead for now?" Belle asked and Henry nodded. Belle moved her hands to his waist and he in turn placed his hand on her shoulder. Slowly she moved him around in a small circle, smiling when he got it right and whispering softly when he stumbled. Soon, much to Henry's growing pleasure, they were moving almost as well as Ashley and Mary Margret. Ruby was sitting by the wireless and tapping her fingers against the table top.

"Now, think you can lead?" Belle asked and Henry nodded.

"Alright, here we go." Belle said excitedly and Henry tentatively pushed her backwards, then stepped her to the side. Unable to control himself Gold finally spoke.

"For god's sake boy, lead the woman properly or don't try it at all." He said and everyone whirl with a gasp to see him sitting quite calmly at his lone table. The three veteran girls stopped their gaiety and their faces became neutrally blank. Henry's eyes flashed wide with shock and Belle, to his surprise, immediately smiled.

"Ro- Mr Gold?" she asked and he smirked. Tipping his head lazily he flourished his hand towards the group.

"The one and the same… lad?" He directed his gaze towards the boy who stiffened and bit his lip worriedly.

"Yes sir?" He asked and Robert stood with a groan. Moving towards them, he indicated for Belle to continue her lesson. She smiled at him and grasped Henry's shoulder. He clung close to her and his small hand moved to her waist, which curved like some delicate ceramic vase. Swallowing his sudden arousal Gold moved to stand beside the boy.

"Remember lad, when one dances with a woman… he is always the leader. She floats and you guide her. It's her duty to look delicate and it's your duty to be firm, you make your decisions whole heartedly or you don't make them at all." He said and nodded to Ruby who turned the wireless back up again. The waltz was drawing to a close but Henry immediately moved, forcing Belle back and sideways. The boy now looked far more in control, he no longer move tentatively and even managed to smile as he forced Belle into a graceful turn.

"That's it boy, now… what on earth are you doing here?" He asked and the pair immediately froze. He smirked and Ruby spoke.

"He's just visiting." She said and Robert nodded.

"indeed, is this a regular thing or just whenever I'm away?" He asked and Belle giggled.

"A little of both really, while you were away it became a regular thing." She quipped and he quirked a brow at her sardonically. She placed a hand on Henry's shoulder and looked at Robert sternly.

"Don't be too harsh on him Mr Gold… he's just a boy." She said and Robert frowned.

"Yes… so he is." He muttered and his jovial mood vanished. Robert glared at the boy and curtly tilted his head towards the atrium.

"You are free to return Master Swan but I must ask you to leave now… there are some things I need to discuss with Belle, alone." He added and there was a shuffling as Henry was ushered towards the double doors by all three women. Ruby paused at the door and stared back at them briefly. Belle moved for her to go and blew a kiss at Henry who blushed and disappeared. Left alone Robert moved back to his table and picked up the package. He tossed it to her and she just caught it. She stumbled at it weight and glared at him.

"What is it?" She asked and he grinned.

"A gift… from some crone from the Bronx." Robert said callously and Belle frowned at him. She looked down at the package and gingerly ripped the paper apart. A soft squeal left her lips as she gazed down at the four or five leather bound volumes in her arms. He'd been correct in assuming they were books. She looked down at them and then back at him, only for her gaze to stray back down to her gift.

"She told me, and I quote, 'you tell her she doesn't ever have to return them… they're hers now'." He said and Belle clutched the books to her chest happily, her sapphire blue eyes actually filling with tears. He frowned.

"Do you like to read Belle?" He asked and she nodded, wiping at her cheeks as she stared down at the books in awe.

"Oh yes. I just love books… I used to read them all the time when I was a child, sitting on a little bay window and enjoying the sun." She said softly and he nodded.

"Hmmm… Papa couldn't afford to buy me more after we moved but thankfully Lettie used to let me borrow from her shop, as long as I returned them in the same condition I got them." Belle continued brightly and smoothed the leather titles lovingly.

"Wait… you said you got these from her. Where did you go?" She demanded and Robert sighed.

"I paid a visit to your beloved Papa." He muttered darkly and she frowned.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked and he smirked.

"He's fine… a little drunk perhaps and maybe there's a cough but otherwise, he seemed perfectly healthy to me." Robert said indolently and Belle stared up at him in shock.

"You went and checked up on him… for me?" She asked and he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Don't go around telling everyone Belle, I have a reputation to uphold." He said sternly and she smiled. She put the books down and stepped forward.

"Thank you." She said sincerely and Robert blinked.

"You're welcome." He said and a single, crystalline tear slipped out from beneath her delicate lashes, carving a delicate path down her cheek. She stepped closer again and stretched up onto the tips of her toes. He couldn't stop his eyes fluttering close when her soft, ruby lips brushed against his cheek. His breath actually caught in his throat and a strange desire to kiss her back, suddenly welled inside him. No! He couldn't allow himself to think like that. He was old enough to be her father, and she was engaged. She was supposed to like young, strong men who would treat her right, not miserly old men whose mental state was questionable at best. Opening his eyes he looked down at her, expecting to see disgust in her beautiful blue eyes. Instead all he saw was joy, pure unadulterated joy.

"Thank you Robert." She said and smiled so brightly it hurt to look at her. Gruffly he pulled away and stepped towards the door.

"Don't mention it." He told her and paused.

"And I mean it, don't." He repeated before callously abandoning her to the empty room. He stormed to the elevator and threw himself inside it. He waited impatiently for it to ascend to the third floor, before striding out and marching to his office. Once inside he slammed the door closed and limped over to his desk… throwing himself into the chair behind it and slumping over the top in a dismayed heap.

_OoOoOoO_

Regina smiled. What an interesting turn of events. She arched her fingers into a prayer-like position, fanning them out as she rested her chin against the tips. So the great and powerful Robert Gold bent himself to whims of a eighteen year old housekeeper, how very interesting.

"If he had a heart, I'd almost think he loved her…" Regina pondered out loud and Gaston shifted slightly in his seat.

"Love?" He asked and Regina smiled.

"Well it's obvious he at least cares for her, even if it isn't love." She relented and smiled as his blue eyes hardened.

"She laughed with him, she thanked him." Gaston said in disgust and Regina smirked.

"Well now, perhaps she'd forced to… he holds her life in his hands so she's probably only doing it to survive. It's what I'd do." Regina lied and Gaston nodded.

"Yes, that's it… she can't possibly like him, the fiend stole her away for god's sake." He muttered and Regina nodded sympathetically.

"Well, it's be fun for now Gaston… I suggest you sleep on it." She said and he nodded. He stood and moved without another word to the stairs, disappearing down them and leaving her alone to think.

"Very interesting." She murmured and bit her ruby red lip. Her lips twisted into a dangerous smirk and she laughed.

"It seems Mr Gold you do have a weakness after all… and now that I know it, I'll break you with it, just like you broke me." She vowed and stood up abruptly from her back and white armchair to stalk to the window. Night was falling and the light of New York shimmered on the surface of the Hudson.

"Soon Robert, very soon everything you hold dear will be destroyed." She said confidently, throwing back her head and letting her hysterical laughter ring free. Unable and unwilling to stop she let the maniacal sounds drift through the docks and echo eerily across the water.

**Hot damn, she's a nasty one. So this is like the longest chapter I've ever written… ever but I simply couldn't stop once I'd begun and I hope you all liked it. So I promised a birthday reveal but it just didn't click properly in this chapter so look out for it in the next one… after you all review of course **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

**Hey hey, people… next chapter's up and once again a thank you to all of you who reviewed. Warning: this chapter ends in a cliff-hanger but before you go ahead and prosecute the witch, it also contains a little fluff if you squint and a few reveals that all of you have been dying for me to reveal. I know it's not much but it's all I've got…**

**Oh wow, I can't believe it's reached this point… the dreaded 13th chapter. Before I go on I should warn you all that prior to this, going beyond chapter thirteen of any fic I've written has for some inexplicable reason been a problem for me. Hopefully by ending in a cliffy I can get enough reviews to fire inspiration at me like no freaking tomorrow. Alright enough blather… it's time to get on with the show. **

Much to Robert's amusement, the next time he saw Belle she was walking into his office with the tea tray balanced uncaringly on her left hip and her nose buried in the depths of a red-leather bound book. She didn't say a word as she moved gracefully forwards to manoeuvrer the tray onto the low slung table and sit down in her customary chair. She never looked up at him and her legs curled up to rest against the arm of her chair, making her appear exactly as she had in the photo on her father's mantle-piece. With a smirk plastered to his face he stalked forward and snatched the book from her grasp, turning it over to read its title. She cried out with great vehemence, even jumping out of her seat, but he ignored her, his eyes flickering down the familiar passage she'd just been reading with no small amusement.

"This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet." He read aloud, lowering his voice mockingly to imitate the passionate rapture of the enamoured Romeo. Belle's bright blue eyes widened in horror and her cheeks flared in a deep shade of red as she tried to snatch the book from his hand.

"A little old to be reading fairy tales aren't we Belle? After all, Romeo and Juliet is not the kind of romance to find inspiration in." He murmured teasingly and easily held the red-leathered book just out of her reach. It's ornately titled cover blazed golden in the firelight and he grinned down at her roguishly as he flicked to the beginning to read the opening lines.

"Two households, both alike in dignity, From ancient grudge break new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the loins of these two foes a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parents strife." He read solemnly and Belle, obviously fed up with him, slammed her foot down on the top of his right foot. Although it wasn't nearly hard enough to cause actual damage it made him falter instinctively, bending slightly and relaxing his grip on the book just long enough for her to snatch it victoriously from his grasp. She danced away and held the book possessively to her chest.

"Dearie, that was not at all appropriate." He said and she scowled at him. He held out his hand towards her and indicated for her to come closer. She remained where she was, unwilling to trust him.

"Despite the rumours I'm sure are floating around out there Belle, I don't bite and its perfectly safe to sit down." He said sarcastically and tried to ignore the flash of hurt that ripped through him when she still hesitated. He realised he'd offended her more then he'd previously thought and sighed. Robert moved to sit down in his own seat, reaching out to take the tea pot and begin their morning ritual. After a few tense moments of silence she moved closer and cautiously sat down opposite him. She tucked the book under her skirts and fixed him with a stern glare. He handed her the dainty tea cup and watched as she brought it stoically to her lips. Although her eyes softened slightly Belle's lips never curved upwards into their usual smile and Robert frowned. Perturbed at her silence and coldness he stood abruptly and moved to stand against the mantle-piece, leaning his arm against it leisurely as to avoid looking at her.

"Come dearie… it's just a book." He said softly and she shrugged.

"To you yes, to me no." She murmured and he flinched at the coldness in her voice.

"Oh and if not a book, what is it pray tell?" He asked curtly and she sneered.

"The only way I travel these days." She returned and he stopped short. He turned to look at her in surprise and saw that she was sitting stiffly in her chair, unable to look at him as she fiddled uncomfortably with her shawl.

"Travel?" He asked and she looked up at him briefly to nod shortly.

"Yes, I always wanted to see the world… I suppose that's impossible now, so I just make do with my books." She said and sighed heavily. A sinking feeling began to settle in his stomach. He'd never asked what her dreams were and now it was becoming increasingly clear that although she smiled, she was not happy here. Robert sighed and moved away from the fireplace to sit down at his spinning wheel, as he always did whenever his mood was dampened by something. Instinctively his hands found the raw wool and fed it around the bobbin into the groove of the wheel. Pressing the peddle rhythmically he allowed himself to sink into a pattern, watching the hypnotising spin of the wheel as it turned around and around… allowing him to ignore the guilt inside him.

"Why do you spin so much?" A quiet voice asked from the fireplace and he paused, having thought she'd left. He turned to look at her and saw that she'd curled up on the armchair again, the play now open on her lap as she watched him work. It was as if nothing had changed between them and for a moment, he almost believed that nothing had. Almost. Frowning his turned back to face the wheel and tried to think of a suitable answer to her question.

"It's helps me forget." He said finally and she let out a small sigh.

"Forget what?" She asked curiously and he smile self-depreciatively.

"I suppose it worked." He muttered, almost to himself. It was a lie of course, he could never forget, never not remember all the terrible things he'd done and seen. He shook his head and tried to ignore the fact that Belle was now standing beside him, having abandoned her post by the fire to gaze down at him. Her hands rested lightly on his shoulders and she leaned in close. He could smell the soft scent of her hair and found it far more intoxicating then any perfume.

"Come on, your tea's getting cold." She said, her voice breaking him out of his thoughts, and he looked up at her warily. She smiled softly and held out her hand to him. He gazed at it for a long moment, sorely tempted to take it, before standing and moving past her to sit down in the chair he'd vacated. She followed, hurt flickering briefly in her eyes before she handed the chipped tea cup to him with a smile. He took it and sipped it, sighing when its wondrous flavour soothed his abused palette. He relaxed slightly then realised he needed to apologise.

"I'm sorry Belle." He said softly and she started.

"No Mr Gold, it's quite alright… you'd make a great actor you know." She said, alluding of course to his previous theatrical performance, and he grimaced.

"If I didn't terrify all of New York you mean." He quipped rhetorically and she giggled.

"I'd still come to watch you, if it's any consolation." She retorted and he shook his head bemusedly, taking another sip of delicious, fortifying tea.

"But of course." He murmured and she smiled.

"I often wondered if I'd be any good on stage… I took ballet lessons as a child but I was never that good, or dedicated really." She said thoughtfully and rested her head against her hand.

"I'm sure you'd be successful in anything you tried to do Belle." He said and meant it. Her eyes warmed and she sipped her tea happily. An unkind thought pricked him as he sat there; watching her young, beautiful face gazing up into his.

"Are you happy here Belle?" He asked and she frowned at him in confusion. She put down the tea cup and cocked her head slightly.

"Yes." She said slowly and he now it was his turn to frown.

"Truly?" He asked and her smile faded slightly.

"Well, I'll admit that this was not what I had thought I'd be doing with my life… but I certainly can't complain." She admitted guiltily and he nodded. Her answer disturbed him, he wanted his Belle to be happy. Then he remembered that she was not his Belle, she was Gaston's Belle.

"And, if you could, would you change anything?" He asked seriously and her face became thoughtful as she pondered his question.

"I honestly don't know Mr Gold… to change what has happened to me could change who I am entirely, make me into a person I wouldn't even recognise. Everything happens for a reason right?" She said and he sneered.

"Perhaps. So you're saying that, given the chance, you wouldn't change a single thing that's happened to you?" He asked and Belle nodded.

"Nope, not a blessed thing." She said and winked at him. He frowned and stared into the fire morosely.

"Do you like Shakespeare Mr Gold?" She asked and he started at the abrupt change in topic.

"Well enough I suppose… are you an admirer of the Bard of Avon?" He asked and she smiled.

"Some of his work yes." Belle said and tenderly stroked the book in her lap.

"Romeo and Juliet, I presume, being a favourite." He said pointedly and she laughed.

"No, not really." She countered and he stared at her.

"Then why… what is your favourite then?" Robert asked bewilderedly and she grinned at him sheepishly.

"Why did I fight so hard for it? Because it was my tie to Papa and Lettie. As to what my favourite is… I'd have to say that Macbeth takes the top spot, just above The Merchant of Venice." She said and Robert found himself smiling slightly.

"That's a surprise, most young women seem overly obsessed with the idea of love and romance… I thought you would be too, with your love for heroes and adventure." He teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Met many of those Mr Gold?" She asked teasingly and he rolled his eyes. She giggled and clapped her hands softly into her lap.

"Honestly, Macbeth is my favourite because it incorporates all the attributes that make us truly human, it doesn't shy away from the bad like most do and tells a wondrous story of love, pride, greed and desperation. Macbeth is a complex character and Lady Macbeth represents the kind of woman that actually exists, with traits that are both good and bad. She's much more realistic then most of Shakespeare's other female characters and heck… it's Scottish and there are witches." She said with a small giggle. Robert sniggered.

"So you're not a romance-loving school girl, you're an idealist… good god I'm doomed." He muttered and she grinned at him.

"Oh, got anything you wish to share with the class?" She teased and he rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Nothing that an eighteen year old girl needs to hear." He muttered and she leaned forward to stare at him accusingly.

"I'm not a child Robert." She said and he raised his eyebrows in amusement. As if he needed a reminder of that.

"Compared to me dearie, you will always be a child." He said and sighed. Never had truer words been spoken. Next to her bright-eyed idealism he was a cynical old man in need of a good slap in the face. She however seemed not to appreciate having her age slapped upon her like a brand. She stood and gathered the tea things to her, slamming them down on the tray with enough force to shatter them. His eyes widened warily as he watched her, wondering what it was now that had set her off.

"Belle, where are you…" He began and she interrupted him spitefully.

"Going? To play with the other children." Belle snapped irritably, flouncing away from the fireplace. She reached the door and stopped, her chest heaving as she fought to contain her anger. The dam broke however and she whirled to face him her face pale with fury.

"For your information Mr Gold, I'm turning nineteen in about a week's time, so next time you go thinking that I'm just a child just remember that I'm old enough to be married and for some reason the fact that you seemed entirely fixated on our age difference clearly spells out problems you have with yourself." She spat sharply and stormed out of the room before he could utter another word. He sat back in his seat and tried to reconfigure what had just occurred. Try as he might he couldn't figure out what it was that had so annoyed her. All he had said was that compared to him, she was still young… he rolled his eyes and gave up trying to understand how the female mind worked, lord knew it had never been an issue before. Standing up he limped over to his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper which had a list of numbers scrawled down the right side. Sighing he picked up the phone that lay innocently on his desk and dialled the first one… it was time to repair his laboratory.

OoOoOoO

Her back was killing her. Cramps were possibly the worst thing ever to plague woman-kind and Belle hoped god was satisfied with himself, because she sure as hell wasn't. On top of her pain, her exhaustion was making Belle's temper fly the colours. She'd spent the night pouring over her new found books, discovering with great joy that Lettie had packed most of her favourites. Lettie had generously given her a roundabout collection of books and plays that Belle had borrowed repeatedly over the years: Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth by Shakespeare, The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and, to her utter delight, the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leuroux. As much as the night of reading and re-reading had thrilled her, it had also robbed her of sleep and made her irritable… added to the fact she was now suffering a fate worse than death, this day had gone from bad to worse. Belle was beside herself with annoyance. How dare he call her a child? She was no such thing. She had seen her fair share of terrible things and, to her, age had always just been a number by which people could measure how long she had dwelt upon the face of the earth. She scowled blackly as she scrubbed the marble tile beneath her knees. She was so focused on her task she didn't hear the first round of knocking on the double doors, or the second for that matter. Finally when the person tried for the third time to get her attention she looked up and gasped.

"August?" She breathed and moved to stand on the opposite side of the door from the now grinning writer.

"Hello Beauty? Perhaps you're more of a Cinderella story then I thought." He teased and she blushed slightly, looking down at her red hands and soaking wet skirts. She looked behind her to make sure the atrium was deserted and frowned at him fiercely.

"What are you doing here August? Mr Gold's back and you can't be here." She said firmly and he sniggered.

"You weren't here last night, so I decided to come and give you my message personally during the day… didn't think I'd run straight into you." He mused idly and she crossed her arms defiantly over her chest.

"Alright, what's your message?" She demanded and he grinned broadly.

"I just came to give you this… its more questions for my book, if your still game to tell me anything." He said and Belle stared at the slip of paper in his hand. She watched as he bent down and slid it under the door, bending to retrieve it she turned it over in her hands as she gazed at it curiously.

"So, I'll be back say… tonight, do you think you will have a few answers by then?" He asked and she nodded.

"Shouldn't be too hard. I'll see you tonight." She said and watched as he turned and walked away down the stairs, throwing his leg over a stunning red motorcycle and pulled a pair of goggles down over his eyes. He gunned the engine, much to the delight and curiosity of passersby, and took off down the street. Belle watched until he disappeared before taking another look at the piece of paper in her hand. There were some predictable ones like; what her real name was, where she'd been born, stories about her childhood and in depth questions about how she'd met Gold. Then there had been some she'd not being expecting like; how she'd describe the women that lived in the Palace, if she'd ever had dreams about doing other things, what her plans were for the future and even, to her delight, what her favourite book was. She hurriedly tucked the note into the same pocket as her master key and gotten back to work her good mood partway restored. By lunch time she was famished, having just cleared away the first bedroom on the third floor. She'd hoovered, batted rugs and even changed drapes and bed covers. The dusting had taken far longer then she'd expected and when she'd opened the wardrobe she'd discovered a whole new job of clearing out moth-eaten clothing and preparing salvageable ones for washing day. After a quick lunch Belle trudged upstairs to peer into Gold's office. He was sitting at his desk, phone held to his ear as he shouted at someone on the other end.

"No! The university specifically ordered 300 new test tubes, 2 distillation tubes, 5 measuring cylinders and a set of 20 beakers to be delivered there today. On top of that you were to provide adequate apparatus for experimentation and, before you ask, I have made this order before with you… so don't play games with me dearie." He shouted into the mouth piece and Belle covered her mouth to keep from speaking.

"Today! If it's not here by 5 o'clock this afternoon, you can kiss your precious warehouse goodbye… I'm sure the rent's just gone up another 5%." He said irritably and slammed the phone back down into its cradle. He ran a hand through his hair tiredly and closed his eyes. He seemed to age about ten years before her eyes and Belle felt her heart ache slightly. Did he ever sleep? He looked about as exhausted as she felt.

"You should get some rest Robert." She said quietly and he jumped. His head snapped up so fast she was afraid he'd damage his neck and his soft brown eyes widened in alarm.

"Dearie, if you hadn't noticed… I'm a little too busy for that right now." He muttered darkly and she frowned.

"No, you need to sleep otherwise you'll just run yourself ragged and then you'll be completely useless." She informed him sternly and he frowned at her.

"Who are you, my mother?" He snapped and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"No, apparently I'm a child remember?" She retorted and he had the decency to look slightly sheepish.

"Belle, you are young, compared to me and what I do, you are a child." He said softly and Belle frowned at him.

"Please stop insulting me, it's just getting tiresome." She snapped and he cocked his head quizzically.

"That aside, my point still stands. I can't force you to move… but I can convince you that this is not the place you want to be." She said, her anger giving way to amusement as he raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Oh, and just how do you intend to do that?" He asked and she smirked. With a flourish she pulled out a feather duster from behind her back and pointed it threateningly at him.

"Either leave or watch in helplessness as I tear this room apart… it needs a clean and you'll just be in my way." She told him sternly and he rolled his eyes. He threw up his hands in defeat and pushed himself up and out of his seat.

"Fine, I'll go…" he relented and Belle smirked.

"Wise man." She approved and he scowled.

"I'm a man without options… I had no choice." He protested and she smiled.

"But of course you did, you just realised it would be fruitless to try and use them." She said patronisingly and he strode stiffly to the door. As he passed she swore she heard him grumble something about being kicked out of his own private space by a woman and giggled.

"I'll take good care of her Robert… promise." She said and he flourished a hand lazily.

"Do what you must… just don't touch any of the drawers in my desk." He ordered and she nodded.

"Alright." She agreed and he nodded. Gripping his cane tightly, he paused on the threshold of the room and peered at her calculatingly for a moment before turning abruptly and leaving her alone in the room. Aware of the great trust he'd just placed in her Belle moved around the room cautiously, treating each piece of furniture as though it were made of glass and never so much as glancing at the mysterious drawers in Robert's desk.

_OoOoOoO_

"You stupid bitch." Regina hissed from where she lounged lazily on the smooth velvet couch of her boudoir. Her dark hair was twisted into curlers, meticulously placed there by the only serving girl still employed in the warehouse. This month's help was a young blonde who now cowered against the opposite wall, the bed warmer held limply in her hand with its lid swinging like a broken jaw over the pile of burning embers on the floor. Regina stood and stalked towards the girl who screamed and dropped the still warm pan to the ground. Smoke was drifting up from beneath the embers but neither was paying that much attention as Regina reached out and snatched at the girl's long blonde tresses, yanking them brutally to the point where several strands were torn from their roots.

"Please Miss Regina, I didn't mean to… I'm sorry." The blonde sobbed and her pale face began to blotch with pain and tears as she tried to cringe away from Regina's grip. Regina smile sadistically and wrenched the golden curls again. An agonised wail left the girls mouth and Regina sneered.

"Shut up!" She snarled and the terrified young woman clamped her lips shut, tears spilling over her cheeks in a never ending stream.

"Now, that's better… I can actually think now." Regina said smoothly, tugging the half crouched girl behind her as she drifted back across the room to the door. Pausing momentarily to stamp out the burning embers before they burnt the place down Regina threw open the door and stormed out of the bedroom. Dressed in a delicate oriental robe, sleek satin undergarments and a pair of black heels Regina dragged the stupid chit along the corridor to the main room of the warehouse and up the stairs to her office, aware of the many eyes that followed her. She sneered as she flung the wretch onto the hardwood floor and strode past her to stand silently by the window, gazing out onto the midnight river pensively. The girls sobs filled the room but Regina allowed her to sweat for a moment before turning back to look at her.

"What's your name girl? Harriett?" She asked and the crying young woman nodded shakily, she was clutching at her abused scalp and staring up at Regina with bleary eyes.

"Please…" She whispered and Regina stepped forward to slap her viciously across the face.

"Shut up!" She shouted and the girl shrank back, now clutching her stinging cheek as she huddled against the frigid floor. Regina smiled softly, reaching down to stroke her head gently.

"Now, now Harriett… you know why I've brought you here." She murmured and the girl nodded stiffly, her eyes wide with fright.

"Stand up." Regina barked and she stumbled to her feet, her hands wringing at her dress nervously. Regina turned on her high heel and walked back to her desk, picking up one of the polished red apples in its white bowel and turning it over in her hands nonchalantly.

"Harriett, Harriett, Harriett, what am I going to do with you?" She murmured to herself and callously took a bite out of the ruby red flesh. Chewing slowly she sat down behind the desk lacquered desk.

"Well, it seems to me that employment here is no longer an option. I expected the best and all you gave me was a spoiled rug… that's coming out of your pay by the way." She added snidely and looked up to see the girl had moved to stand before the desk, the knuckles of her tightly clenched hands glowing white in the gloom of the room. Regina shrugged nonchalantly and pressed a button on her desk.

"Charles, would you come up here please?" She said and a moment later a man dressed entirely in black trudged up the stairs, pausing by her desk and bowing slightly. She smirked and tossed her head irritably towards the girl.

"Take out the trash." She ordered curtly and he nodded. Immediately the girl broke down into sobs, clutching at the desk and screaming.

"No please, please I need this job… please!" She begged and Regina snorted.

"There are three thousand people out there who can do your job and probably not screw it up, you had your chance and you blew it now get out before I make Charles here do something we're all going to regret." She spat and Harriett shook her head.

"No, no, no." She moaned and clung to the table in desperation.

"Please." She screamed and Regina sneered across the gleaming black surface at the sobbing woman and shrugged.

"Get her out of here." She said to Charles who nodded and gripped the girl by her upper arms, hauling her brutally backwards towards the stairs.

"You heartless bitch! Whatever happened to you that made you hate people so much huh? What could have been so terrible?" Harriett screamed and Regina felt her fury break to the surface. She flung her chair back with a harsh screech and stood. Her heels clicked audibly on the polished floorboards as she stalked deliberately towards the now hysterical girl.

"You heartless witch! You…" She never got to finish. Regina pinned the girl by her throat, squeezing the slim, pale column mercilessly until the girl began to gag, her entire face steadily going blue.

"You really want to know?" She asked and hauled the limp girl back towards the window.

"I wasn't always this way, I had a heart and it was broken… so very long ago. You want to know why I hate people? It's because they are blights on my world, they take and steal and twist the things and people around them until their own greed is satisfied, never mind the happiness of others." She hissed into the girl's terrified face. Her lips were parted as she tried to breathe through her pinioned throat, her lips were rapidly going purple and several blood vessels had popped in her green eyes. Regina smirked and carefully slipped one of her high heels off. Keeping a tight grip on the girls slender neck she brought her arm back and swung it full force into the window pane. The glass shattered beneath the hard edged heel and the shards littered the floor at their feet. Harriett had become a dead weight in her arms and Regina lifted her bodily until half her body hung out the window.

"If you survive Harriett I wish you all the best and if you don't well, it was fun while it lasted." She whispered into the blonde's ear before she tipped Mariette's limp body over the window sill and watched it plummet into the icy water of the river two storeys below. She saw the girl's body reappear, floating face down in the ice dotted water and tutted.

"How unfortunate." She murmured and turned back to see the black dressed Charles staring at her warily.

"What are you still doing here?" She asked lazily and he turned tail to flee back downstairs. Regina walked to her desk and sat down behind it, she looked down at her left hand and gently stroked the golden ring wrapped around her third finger. She rested her head back against the soft armchair and sighed. Now she'd need to hire a new girl… what a waste of precious time.

OoOoOoO

With a final grunt Belle dumped the last box outside Robert's office, as per instruction, before heading off downstairs to the second floor to borrow her latest costume from Ruby. Thinking no more of the mysterious packages she'd been tramping upstairs all afternoon she'd slipped the glittering clothes on and briefly allowed Ruby to work her magic with make-up before letting her friend filter out of the room before her. She pulled out a slip of paper from her pocket and smoothed it out. Re-reading it she nodded and folded it carefully, placing it back into the breast pocket of her costume before standing and heading out into the corridor.

"Belle!" Ashley's voice was high pitched as Belle entered the common room, adorned in nothing more than a glorified ring master's costume. Belle felt a little ridiculous in the low cut, wickedly tight bodice of stiffened silk. Over its rib crushing black was a sapphire blue jacket of sequinned silver and gold flames which tucking in at her waist before flaring out dramatically to mid-thigh. A pair of sheer nylon stockings graced her legs, revealing nothing but a pair of French knickers of the same midnight blue as the jacket. Her hands were covered by a pair of white gloves and on her feet were a pair of ruby red high heels that matched the glittering red rose on the left side of her chest. In her hands she held a cane and a velvet top hat. She shifted uncomfortably beneath the stares she received from all quarters and bit her lip. Smiling tentatively she bowed playfully.

"Hello." She said tightly and felt a little better as Ruby looked her over approvingly before clinking glasses with a newly liberated Mary Margret.

"Best work yet Mary." She announced and the other woman nodded sagely, taking in Belle's whole appeared with a slight smile.

"You look gorgeous." She said firmly. Belle opened her mouth to thank her but was cut across by the startled looking Ashley.

"If Mr Gold sees you he's going to freak." Ash said, tugging at her own outfit nervously as Belle walked over to sit down beside her on one of the red velvet settees.

"Oh Ash, it'll be fine… I'll only be down for a few minutes, I've got to see someone tonight." Belle explained cheerfully and Ruby's interest was immediately caught.

"Who? Is it Prince Charming?" She asked and Belle rolled her eyes.

"No, he's a writer called August… I have to give him something." She said and all three looked at her warily.

"He's not with the press is he?" Mary Margret asked and Belle shook her head.

"I don't think so, why?" She asked and Ruby sighed theatrically.

"Because on top of the fact that Mr Gold legally owns all our souls, he also created a sneaky, back-passage clause in all our contracts that specifically says we're not to talk to the press about anything that goes on inside this place." She explain tenaciously and Belle sighed.

"He doesn't sound like paparazzi." She said and Ash smiled.

"They never do. Once there was this client that seemed all well and good, named Sidney Glass… made a proper idiot out of me." Ash said and Belle sighed.

"Look, I think August is fine… and I told him I would only say things that I felt for certain could be talked about, nothing about you girls and absolutely nothing about Mr Gold." She said and all three nodded warily.

"Okay, just make sure to remember that." Ruby said and Belle nodded. Ruby picked up the extra glass of sherry that Belle hadn't touched and held it out to her. Belle smiled but shook her head.

"No thank you… I don't drink sherry anymore." She said and all three gasped in horror.

"What?" They cried in unison and Belle smiled.

"Look, I'd love to stay and chat but I've really… got to… go." She said waltzing away cheerfully to open the hidden door to the club room, placing the top hat atop her neatly tied back hair and shimmying downstairs triumphantly. A loud roar echoed in her ears as she appeared and she smiled beguilingly to the crowd as she stepped lightly into the room.

"Good evening gentlemen." She cried and they called out to her.

"Tonight's entertainment is about to begin but before it does I have to ask… have you all been good boys?" She asked and a few laughs rose up from the crowd.

"Hm, perhaps I should tell the lovely ladies to stay upstairs… they only deal with men who've been very, very bad." She announced teasingly and leapt up onto the nearest platform with only the slightest wobble. The ruby slippers glittered beautifully beneath the shimmering lights as Belle walked delicately across the platform to swing lazily around the pole in the centre of the platform.

"So I ask again gentlemen… have you been good?" She asked playfully and the resounding answer nearly deafened her. She leaned against the pole and looked back at the door she'd just vacated.

"Well now, that's more like it… without further ado, I present for your entertainment, the Golden Girls." She said and held out her hand towards the door which flew open. Soon the rhythm of the night picked up. The band broke out into song and the platforms were quickly filled with dancers, Ruby was soon under duress at the bar and Belle could craftily sneak off the platform to find August. She found him eventually, sitting by himself in a darkened corner. She smiled and sat down opposite him, waving away the sherry he offered her.

"Here you go." She said and pulled out the piece of paper from the innards of her jacket, throwing it onto the table before them and smiling when he scooped it up quickly. He opened it and scanned the answers rapidly, a slow smile spreading across his face as he read.

"Great, now we have something to work with… do you think it would be better this way, me giving you questions to answer rather than just asking them?" He asked and Belle nodded.

"It's safer too." She said and he frowned.

"You could be press, I'm not allowed to talk to press." She said and he looked offended.

"I am most certainly not press, those blood-suckers wouldn't know real journalism if she walked up behind them with a microphone and asked for their opinion." He muttered and Belle sniggered. He grinned at her sheepishly and indicated towards where Mary Margret now danced atop the platform Belle had vacated. Belle looked over and smiled.

"Nice performance up there." He said and Belle blushed.

"Oh yes…" She muttered and he grinned.

"Look, go on… enjoy your night. I probably won't be back until the end of the week so…" He saluted her cockily before standing up and tucking her note into his jacket pocket. She stood to and moved to shake his hand, he caught it and brought it to his lips.

"Take care Beauty… I can't believe you still didn't tell me your name." He said and she grinned.

"Then I wouldn't be a mystery, you would get bored and leave me hanging high and dry." She teased and he covered his heart in mock outrage.

"Never." He swore playfully and turned on his heel to walk away. Belle watched him disappear. Shaking her head she went to the bar. Ruby pulled up opposite her.

"What's your poison?" She asked and Belle smiled.

"Water please." She asked and Ruby gasped.

"You're killing me here." She said but turned away to fetch the drink. Moments later she returned and placed it before Belle.

"Now, why the sudden sobriety?" She demanded and Belle smiled.

"I made a promise not to." She said truthfully and Ruby sniggered.

"Now why would you go and do something stupid like that?" She asked and now it was Belle's turn to snigger.

"Because, I unlike you, have to get up at the crack of dawn each morning to fetch tea for a man notorious for his bad moods." Belle said and Ruby chuckled.

"Not the best idea to be suffering a hangover." She continued and Ruby held up her hands in surrender.

"Alright, I yield, point to Belle de Boire." She then muttered something unintelligible under her breath and Belle looked at her scandalised.

"What was that?" she demanded and Ruby sniggered.

"Nothing Belle, go enjoy yourself." She said and left Belle alone to scull her water down and join Mary Margret up on the platform. The music swelled and Belle lost herself to the sound, using both the pole and her cane as props as she moved around the platform and even on the tables surrounding it. It was on one of these tables, mid-twirl, that disaster struck. The back of her neck prickled and she felt the oddest sensation fall over her, as though she were being watched. A silly notion considering she was being watched but for some reason this gaze felt different. She paused and looked over at Mary Margret who had frozen at her post, eyes fixed on the doorway of the room. Belle's mouth went dry and she slowly turned to peer towards the space where Mary's gaze was directed. Belle stumbled back, gripping her cane tight enough to feel the burn of her knuckles through the white gloves. Standing in the doorway, eyes fixed solely on her motionless form… was Mr Gold.

OoOoOoO

There, the very last of the industrial boxes, opened and sorted on the floor of his room. All through the day he'd had Belle bring the steady stream of them upstairs, never allowing her to enter the room despite her obvious curiousness as to the contents. He chuckled as he remembered her frustration at being left in the dark and bent to pick up a box of delicate glass vials, carefully checking them over for cracks or defaults. Gazing around he was half pleased with his progress. The shelves had been pushed back into their proper positions, the table was now upright and balanced precariously on the emptied boxes and all the mess from his week of isolation had been cleared to the side of the room. Without the danger of cutting himself or tripping Robert was once again free to move liberally about the lab, unhindered by any hazards. Satisfied for the day he moved downstairs once more to find the final box on his office desk. Robert remembered the lengths at which he'd gone to get this done, arranging for the last shipment of science equipment to be held up long enough for the package to be slipped inside unseen. Now here it was. His mouth tipped up in a slight smile as he opened the long, narrow box to reveal the beautiful rose inside. He reached out and pulled it from the box, holding it out before him calculatingly, searching the flawless petals for imagined imperfections. Satisfied that it was indeed faultless he walked back to the hidden elevator and stepped inside, pressing the lever that would take it up into the West Wing. Briskly he walked over to the opposite wall of the room and gently pressed the worn brick that served as a door knob of sorts, moving forwards without waiting for the door to swing open completely. Instinctively he traced his steps along the silent passage, cursing slightly as the steps triggered the tenderness in his knee, until he reached Belle's room.

_This is getting to point of absurdity Robert. _A familiar voice whispered and he froze.

"You again." He murmured and the Dark One cackled in his head.

_Why yes, who else? Have any other voices in your head I should know about… ones that can't so easily be explained away? _

"Just stop being a nuisance for once and leave me be."

_Now why would I do that? I'll admit that before all this you were never this interesting and that I was content to dwell inside… but some things change Robert. _

"Meaning?" Robert asked, still standing in the dark, hand pausing before the stone wall that he knew would be unlocked to him.

_Come now laddie, look at yourself. _The devil said maliciously and Robert scowled.

"Oh shut up." Robert snarled and hurriedly pushed the unlocked door open. Soft moonlight was drifting through Belle's window, bathing the small room in light just enough for him to make out the main objects in it. A fluttering of wings made him aware that he was not alone in the room.

"Fantastic, you're here." He muttered darkly to the semi-visible robin sitting on Belle's desk, watching him warily with suspicious, beady-black eyes. It fluttered its wings self-importantly and chirped an affirmation.

"May I enter?" He asked sarcastically and the robin cocked its head, as though considering the damned question. Finally it turned away and began to preen itself in the water basin. Beside the basin was a vase he recognised from one of the downstairs storage rooms, filled with the eight or so blooms the Dark One had placed on Belle's pillow during their shared incarceration. He gazed around the room to see where his own rose had gone, starting when he saw she'd placed it in its own vase on the window sill.

"Well how'd you like that." He murmured and couldn't quite quell the growing sense of triumph in his gut. Shaking his head bemusedly Robert stepped cautiously into the room, having now been deemed acceptable by its avian guardian. He placed the rose gently down on the pillow, allowing his fingers to drift across the soft surface for just a little longer than strictly necessary before drawing away hurried and running a hand through his hair.

"What the blazes am I doing?" He asked aloud. What kind of a man left roses for a girl less than half his age, who probably wouldn't want them if she found out where the hell they came from? For god's sake he was old enough to be her father, what a creepy bastard he was turning out to be. Why the hell was he even leaving them? It had started out as an apology but soon became a ritual, a way for him to see her beautiful smile in this hell hole he forced her into. Disgusted with himself he turned on his heel and stalked back down the corridor into his room, closing the door swiftly and forgetting to lock it in his annoyance. Suddenly he realised how hungry he was. Deciding to visit Mrs Lucas and snatch a quick morsel from her he ventured down into his office and entered the glittering elevator at the centre of the third floor. On its descent he actually began to hum an old ditty his mother had sung him when he was still young enough to be coddled to sleep. The abrupt halting of the contraption shook him out of this thought and he stepped out of the elevator to walk briskly across the slightly scuffed surface of the atrium. Ignoring the sounds of the club room he limped over to the opposite door and down the corridor to the kitchen. His arrival caused a stir, throwing the room's sole occupant into a frenzy as she whirled expecting her granddaughter only to find him smirking at her from the doorway.

"Mr Gold!" Mrs Lucas exclaimed and he waved mockingly.

"Evening dearie." He said casually as he peered around the room, surprised to see that Belle was not there. Given that she was not in her room or his office he had assumed she would be here with Lucas, possibly fetching supper before heading up to bed.

Can I h-help you?" Mrs Lucas asked nervously and Robert's attention snapped back to the white haired widow suspiciously.

"Yes actually, I was just looking for…"

"Belle? She's upstairs I think." The woman said quickly and Robert felt his eyebrow lift.

"No, actually I was looking for supper… I'm heading up early tonight and thought I'd come down to spare you the trouble." He said and she nodded quickly, turning away to bustle around the steam filled kitchen.

"Although Mrs Lucas, now that you mention it…" He said idly as he traced his fingers across one of the nearby counters, making the woman pause and look at his warily.

"Where did you say Belle was… I need to ask her something about the third floor rooms." Robert said, not a complete lie when he thought about it for he did need to go over a few things about the bedrooms on that floor, and Lucas' eyes widened.

"Um, upstairs with the girls I think." She said unconvincingly and Gold couldn't help but chuckle.

"Now, now dearie… if she'd with the lasses that would mean they're not doing their jobs and if they're not doing their jobs then there would be no music coming from the club room. Mrs Lucas, let's be honest now." He said teasingly and the solidly built old lady gripped her ladle tight enough to warp the metal.

"If she'd not with the girls then she might be in her room." She said and Robert scowled now.

"Try again dearie." He murmured darkly and finally the woman caved.

"Mr Gold you must understand, she never meant anything by it, and she'd done nothing wrong… the girls never lied or said for her to…"  
"What are you talking about?" He demanded harshly and the old woman drew a ragged breath.

"I can't say, she'll never forgive me." She muttered and Robert's eyes narrowed threateningly as he brought his cane down on the counter with an echoing bang.

"Tell me the truth!" He bellowed and the poor old dear nearly had another heart attack.

"I can't!" She cried and covered her face as he stepped nearer.

"Where is Belle?" He demanded, lowering his voice to a gentle whisper, making the terrified woman tremble like a leaf before a gale wind.

"Please Mr Gold she meant nothing by it." She whispered and he smiled thinly.

"Meant nothing by what dearie?" He asked and Mrs Lucas' eyes travelled unconsciously towards the doorway he'd just vacated. He frowned at her and realised she was never actually going to tell him… the damn woman had her priorities settled it appeared and was prepared to go down with them.

"Bare this in mind Mrs Lucas, next time you are wilfully obstinate you and your granddaughter had best find charity elsewhere because you'll not receive it from me." He muttered and stepped away from the cowering woman. Turning on his heel he limped out of the room and back out into the atrium. Confused, he pondered where he could go now supper appeared was out of the question. Music swelled in the other room and with a sigh he began to thirst for a drink, a strange feeling considering that he hadn't had a drop in over ten years. He walked over to the closed double doors and paused, a strange sense of foreboding making him stop with his hands on the knobs. Shaking it off he pulled the doors open and surveyed the room coldly. Business was not booming per se but it was at least moving along at a pace profitable enough to keep him going. Most tables had at least one occupant and the bar had a good stream of customers. His attention was caught by a flash of brilliant blue, twirling beguiling on a table directly in front of him. The woman appeared to be dressed in blue sequins and nylon, top hat and cane moving in time to the tempo of the music. He smiled at the sight, there was genuine enjoyment in her limbs as the woman, whose face he still couldn't quite see, twirled gracefully on the polished wooden surface… red shoes glittering in the limelight. The music itself was deafening but suddenly seemed to fade as the scene before him cleared like a train tunnel. As she turned to the side, the woman's profile became recognisable and he sucked in air as though someone had just landed a blow straight to his solar plexus. The scantily clad woman stopped suddenly, as though sensing his gaze and her body tensed visibly as she turned slowly to face him, her face becoming instantly recognisable. His own brown eyes widened in horror and his gut felt as though someone had poured fifty gallons of lead straight down his throat. From across the room a top hat fell to the ground as he looked straight into Belle's sapphire blue eyes.

**Oh I am so nasty sometimes aren't I? Couldn't you just scream… perhaps even send me a review about it? Okay, even that sounded lame to me but heck as I said before I always get stuck on the 12/13th chapters of my stories, and I need epic proportions of reviews to find inspiration. So do the thing you know you want to do and review **


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen:

**And…. here it is the promised 14th chapter. I'm so sorry it took a while, as I mentioned last time it's hard to work past 13 for some reason but I did it and this is the result. I hope you all like it, despite the fact that there's a ship-load of angst and not a lot of fluff. Anyway, thanks so much for all the wondrous reviews, you guys are honestly the best bunch of readers a writer could hope for and oh I just want to thank you so much. Her you go, chapter 14. **

Robert straightened and kept his gaze firmly fixed on Belle as she continued to stare at him in stunned horror. His eyes never flickered from her face, however tempted he was to let his gaze fall over her barely clothed body. Her stillness had caught the attention of others and he felt more than saw Ruby Lucas leap into action, forcing the patrons out of the room in a loud voice.

"Out! Everyone out… gas leak!" She cried and her shout broke through the rabbled din of music and drunken voices. Immediately the men closest to her moved in the direction of the door, stumbling over each other in their haste. Robert stepped swiftly into the room, never taking his eyes of the still, sparkling-blue figure on the table. The music came to an abrupt halt and soon the room was silent, leaving only the girls behind who had long since figured that a gas leak was not the problem. They stood motionless at their posts, all eyes fixed on him as he lent casually against the cane in his hand, taking his gaze away from Belle for the first time since he'd entered the club room. Robert coldly surveyed the room.

"Out." He said quietly. Nonetheless his voice carried through the room and there was another rush of movement. This time the ten or so women in the room fled hurriedly for their own door, disappearing through it upstairs where his rapidly growing fury could not reach them. He was not surprised to see that neither Ruby, Mary Margret nor Ashley had budged, all three glaring at him warily. He allowed his stare to linger on them for a few seconds each before limping forward.

"Dearies, I believe I told you all to get out." He said and they flinched but held their ground stubbornly.

"I will only ask nicely once." He reminded them sternly and Ashley tugged on Mary Margret's arm, the two moving closer to the death pale figure in the room's centre whom he was fastidiously ignoring. He turned then to Ruby and levelled a heated glare upon her.

"Go attend your grandmother; she's had a bit of a fright." He said maliciously and her brown eyes widened in horror.

"What did you do?" She demanded and he sneered knowingly.

"Nothing irreparable… best hurry though." He added snidely and she leapt over the counter gracefully. She sent a quick glance to her friends who waved her out and hurried from the room. As nonchalantly as he could Robert whirled to face the three remaining women.

"Belle dearie… tell your friends to leave." He ordered quietly and the russet head bobbed slightly. The girl herself moved to grip the two glitteringly dressed women beside her and smiled at them thinly.

"Go." She said quietly and held up a swift hand to their instant protests.

"No, I mean it… I need you to go." She murmured and Ashley drew her close.

"We can't just…"

"Ashley, if you don't leave right now I will hit you and then Sean is going to have to take you out with a black eye." Belle threatened seriously, making the blonde bite her lip tearfully. Belle glanced at the stoic Mary Margret who nodded and gripped Ashley's shoulder. She leaned in and whispered something, apparently comforting, because they soon jumped down from the platform to walk slowly towards the door, peering over their shoulders fearfully as he moved to close the doors. He locked the door after them and paused, facing them and deciding how best to approach the situation.

"Robert…" Belle's voice was barely above a whisper but he heard it and spun to face her, his lips parting in a sneer.

"Don't. Bother." He said and she closed her mouth quickly. He moved forwards and his stiff leg hit the edge of a nearby table, pain flaring up the damned thing and making his white hot fury break through the flimsy barrier he'd erected upon it. With a hoarse shout he grabbed its edge and turned it, flinging it across the room where it landed against another table with a deafening crash. Belle gasped and shrank back, clinging to the pole behind her with white tipped knuckles. Robert struggled to control his ragged breathing, moving to stand by the bar and picking up a single glass of half-finished whiskey. He glared at the amber liquid distastefully before throwing his head back and downing the whole thing. It burned more than he remembered and he screwed up his nose in disgust.

"Forgive me Belle, an old Scottish trait… when in doubt, drink to success, that way at least if you lose, you've had a good drink." He muttered darkly and turned slowly to face the now terrified girl. He sneered at her maliciously and felt the Dark One rising inside him.

_Oh Robert, can I play with her… just a little? _

_No._

_But…_

_No._

_Just as well, need I remind you that you promised you wouldn't hurt her?_

_I remember it clearly; perhaps I simply chose to scare her?_

_And perhaps I'll meet the bloody King of England…_

He tossed his head irritably, effectively silencing the voice in his head as he gently placed the glass down on the bar.

"And just what do you think you are doing?" He asked aloud and Belle let out a shaky breath.

"Dancing." She said simply and he chuckled. With a small flourish he moved to sit down in one of the nearby chairs, crossing his legs at the ankles and leaning back to survey her over the tip of his cane.

"But of course, I could see that, however, and this is where it gets interesting dearie, what possessed you to?" He asked quietly, watching her in a rather reptilian fashion as she cautiously moved off the table, her lithe legs making his mouth run dry. He shifted in his seat a little, suddenly uncomfortable. The fact that he felt ashamed of this heated his anger and his glare heated beyond its previous limitations. Temptuous little chit.

"I… I began while you were away." She said and he nodded tersely. She drew breath and her slim fingers began to twist into anxious knots in front of her stomach. He quirked a brow and picked up one of the glasses on the table.

"I see, this I presume is why you're suddenly so tired… I should have guessed something was up, you've been far too quiet." He murmured and she drew herself up.

"I've done nothing wrong." She said in a tight, angry voice, her ruby red lips quivering in outrage. Robert simply sneered.

"Nothing wrong she says… nothing wrong. Well then dearie, perhaps you'd like to enlighten me as to the reason you went behind my back to dance like some loose moralled slut from Brooklyn... if you feel as though you've done nothing wrong." He chirped cheerfully and her cheeks flared a bright shade of magenta, whether from embarrassment, shock or anger he couldn't quite tell. It faded, leaving he cheeks lividly pale as her cerulean blue eyes grew darker and darker until they all but snapped with anger.

"That is my business Mr Gold and perhaps if you took the time to sort things out instead of running away all the time you'd notice these things more." She retorted feistily and he smirked.

"Touché dearie, to a point. You are currently under my employ which means where you go, who you see and especially what you do is my business… it's entirely my business." He said sharply and she stared at him uncomprehendingly, her mouth hanging slightly open.

"Furthermore, I was under the impression that you already had a job thus you had no need to seek employment elsewhere… were you so unhappy cleaning rooms that you decided a life of pleasuring drunks was better?" He asked incredulously and she sneered.

"I won't divulge the reasons I began but I'll tell you why I continued, since you've asked so nicely." Belle snapped harshly and he scowled. She tossed her head proudly and held out her hands in a wide, sarcastic bow. His gaze travelled up her entire body before he could stop himself and he cursed inwardly.

"I liked it okay, I liked being able to be someone else… up here I'm not Belle de Boire, Maurice's bookworm of a daughter. I'm not Belle, cleaner of rooms or bringer of tea. Out here, I'm Beauty, I can be whoever I want to be… seeing as whatever freedom I ever had disappeared the moment I signed that contract with you, this is about as exotic as it gets for me!" She shouted and her fair lips twisted into their own snarl of defiance.

"And this is better is it? This adoration, this pawing, honestly Belle if you were that desperate for attention you should have just said so… perhaps it's what I should have hired you for in the first place." He shouted, lunging to his feet and planting his hands down on the table with a resounding boom. She jumped but held her ground, facing him squarely over the table's polished surface. Her chest heaved beneath its jewelled bodice, the breasts underneath nearly bursting form their tight confines to taunt him mockingly. Her wondrous curves were nearly making him lose it entirely. He clutched at self-control like a drowning man, desperate to stop himself from launching himself at her…

"Well then Mr Gold I so glad that after all this time in my company you know me so well as to think that I give a blessed damn about what those fools think of me… it seems we've really connected." She muttered bitterly and he sneered.

"Oh yes, so well dearie. I sense the many layers of trust simply falling into place as we speak." He returned as she glared at him fiercely.

"Oh yes, because this is entirely my fault. I would have asked you eventually, in fact I would have asked you if you'd been here but oh wait just a moment… you weren't here, you were off god only knows where without a single word of warning to any of us and expecting everything to just go back to the way it was!" Belle screamed and he couldn't help it, his temper broke.

"Oh yes, like I could forget! Do you honestly want to know where I was Belle? Would that satisfy your curiosity? Would that make this all go away?" Robert demanded furiously and she sneered. He shoved the table away, sending it crashing into the platform so there was now nothing between the two as hey glared at each other.

"Perhaps Robert or perhaps I simply don't care anymore; perhaps I should just walk out of here right now and never look back. Maybe I should board the next boat out of here and see where it takes me, never giving you another thought because suddenly it's become clear to me that all you are is some stupid, power-hungry jerk who…" She never got to finish. He stepped towards her, fury mounting at her heart-tearing assault, and her blue eyes widened in terror. She fell back, her arms raised defensively before her face as though expecting blows to rain down upon it at any moment. In that instant his anger dissipated, completely draining from his limbs and leaving nothing in it place but hurt and something else he refused to name. He stumbled back, tearing his gaze from her to look towards the bar. He picked up three glasses and, not caring for their contents, pelted them at the wall, watching in mute satisfaction as they collided and smashed against the grey-stone. The Dark One roared his approval, driven into its own frenzy by his heightened emotions, and more glasses found their way into his hands, meeting the same fate as their brethren as he dealt out his fury in the only way he knew would cause the least damage. When there were no more glasses in easy reach he collapsed, his knee giving out beneath him as he crashed onto the nearest table for support. There was a soft cry from behind him and a gentle, unpredicted hand landed on his shoulder. Startled he jerked away, backing away into the wall of the bar and staring at the stunned Belle who stood before him. Her alabaster cheeks were stained with tears and makeup, great smears of black running down like circus paint placed there by a five year old, and her ruby lips trembled with apprehension but she moved closer to him again, holding out her hand as though to aid him. Aid him when she should be running form him. He wanted so much to let her help him, to make her stay with him, but he couldn't, he wouldn't put his Belle in danger like that.

"Stay back!" He bellowed and she faltered, her face showing only confusion. Robert staggered away from her, running into more tables, tipping a few of them, as he fought to stem the horror and fury inside him. Horror at what he'd almost become and fury at everything; her, the world and especially himself.

"Robert please…"

"Get out." He whispered hoarsely and she gasped.

"But where am I to go?" She asked and he looked at her dazedly.

"Why dearie, your room of course… you are still my employee after all… I'll deal with you in the morning." He said softly and tilted his head away, trying to ignore the way she flinched as though his words had been actual blows. He ran a shaking hand through his hair and drew a ragged breath, fighting for calm. Jesus Christ what had he done? He was a monster, a beast. The further away she was from him the better, no matter how much it hurt. To his combined joy and misery, Belle moved one last time to assist him but through sheer will alone he threw out a hand to stop her. She needed to be as far away from him as possible, it wasn't safe, _he _wasn't safe. She needed to leave. Not because he was angry but because he was ashamed.

"Belle, get out." He ordered and finally she nodded. Her beautiful features closed down, like a lantern going out and she backed away. She stumbled to the door and paused, twisting the key around as she gazed back at him. Robert ignored her, slumping down into a chair and holding his head. He didn't look up when she opened the door. Neither did he move a muscle when she stepped out into the atrium. The only movement that came from him was, when he was sure she was gone for good, the tumultuous shaking of his shoulders as he fought to hold in his sobs. Now, whatever chance he'd ever had with Belle, as friend or more, was dashed to pieces. Lying broken like the shards of glass at his feet.

OoOoOoO

Belle flew to the elevator and threw herself inside it, slumping against the golden walls as her breath came hard. She was hyperventilating. She knew she had to calm herself quickly, but for some reason the image of Robert, the moment his eyes had flashed entirely black, burned in her minds eyes like an iron branding. She shuddered as she remembered that look, the moment when she'd felt he was going to hurt her. His eyes had become distinctly inhuman… feral and strangely familiar… like something out of a dream. Then he'd stopped. Just like that, the sanity returned and Robert was back. Her terror faded as his own arose, he'd backed away from her, screaming at her to leave him, smashing glasses like someone possessed in an effort to control the obvious imbalance to his universe. All this over her dancing, it just didn't make sense. Why would he care if she danced or not? Surely as a business man it would make sense to encourage that kind of behaviour, gain the profits she knew she was collecting with her shifts. She tried to make sense of all the confusion, stumbling when the elevator stopped at her floor and spilled her out into the deserted corridor. Belle picked herself up and moved limply along the dim hallway, peeling off the layers of costume, the pieces of betraying scandal that had brought this down upon her. She remembered the look in his eyes when he'd first seen her… now she could name it, now she saw it for what it was. Hurt. She'd hurt him, for some reason she'd hurt him; whether it was because she'd wounded his pride in not telling him or something deeper she couldn't guess but the fact of the matter was that this whole affair… this stupid situation could have been avoided if she hadn't been so selfish.

"Not giving a damn about what they thought… who am I kidding?" She muttered mockingly as she dragged herself up her ladder and sprawled onto her thick carpet. Dressed in nothing but her knickers and corset Belle curled into a ball, lying on her side and trying to find answers to the tumultuous questions in her head.

"Oh god what have I done?" She muttered hopelessly and her shoulders began to quake as her sorrow and the stress of everything finally overcame her. A soft pattering on her window alerted her to the rain, which intensified rapidly to become great sheets of quicksilver that slammed the roof and window with all the force of a hail of bullets. She let loose a soft keen that made Calico, who was watching her warily from the bed, bristle in shock and chirp anxiously. It grew steadily and soon she was bawling, something she hadn't done since the death of her mother and her whole world felt as though it had fallen apart. On that note, Belle realised that her world was falling apart. This wasn't something that would go away or that could be answered with a lame excuse. The outcome of this was uncertain; she had no idea what was going to happen now that the only semi-solid foundation of her life here had given way beneath her like unseen rotten floorboards.

"What have I done?" She whispered softly, staring out along her floor in horror. She'd hurt him and he'd lashed out. He'd never so much as lain a finger on her; even in the towering depths of his rage. Instead Robert had pulled away from her, cowered really, something she found hurt far more than anticipated. The look in his eyes had been disgust laced with terror. He'd seen through her but Belle felt sick to her stomach as she understood the gravity of the situation.

"Robert… oh Robert, I'm sorry… I didn't want to disappoint you, I just…" She whispered and choked. What had she wanted? Now faced with everything she'd done Belle finally grasped the fact that she'd been selfish and she'd been stupid. Her shoulders quaked in misery and she curled up tightly in a ball, rocking ever so slightly as the tears flowed long into the night. Her misery became exhaustion and with tears still streaming silently down her cheeks Belle fell asleep, her head buried in the comforting depths of her arms as the rain continued to batter the window pane.

OoOoOoO

Somewhere during the middle of the night, awoken from a fitful sleep by the sudden, gut wrenching dismay that overcomes sleepers when they have forgotten something extremely important, Belle sat up from where she lay on the cold floor with a horrified gasp. Calico twittered in sharp protest as she stood in a frantic rush from the floor where she had slumped. Belle raced to her desk and grabbed the lantern, lighting it as fast as she could in the dark and racing to the wall. She pushed the stone and waited impatiently as the hidden door swung slowly open. Without wasting any more time she raced down the slippery stone steps and ran along the corridor. Out of breath she paused at the top of the next stairs and leaned against the damp stone wall.

"Rum?" She whispered harshly and panicked when no answer could be heard.

"Rum?!" She tried again, this time a little louder. Still no answer. Dressed in the merest of garments Belle collapsed against the grimy wall and buried her face into her hands. No Robert and no Rum… this was turning out to be the worst day of her life.

OoOoOoO

The next morning Belle awoke to the sound of rapid knocking on her door. It was louder than usual and Belle realised it was because her ear was currently pressed against the tarnished wooden boards, mere centimetres from whoever it was that desired her presence. She sat up with a startled gasp and backed away towards the bed.

"Please go away." She pleaded quietly, hoping her voice was soft enough to go unheard. Her fears were confirmed and she groaned when Ruby's voice filtered through to her from beneath the floor.

"Belle? I heard that, open this door right now!" She commanded but Belle simply stared at the space above her friend's invisible head blankly, unwilling to budge.

"Go away." She repeated dully, wrapping her arms around the tops of her knees and resting her chin upon the folded forearms. Ruby was obviously determined to see her though and the banging restarted.

"Belle please, open this door, we need to talk now!" There was a panicked note to her voice that immediately pulled Belle from her stupor and she crawled to the trapdoor, pulling the bolt across reluctantly before backing away to watch as Ruby's brown and red streaked hair appeared to rise from the floor. The brunette spun to face her and her brown eyes widened in horror.

"You're a mess, what happened?" She demanded and Belle shook her head weakly, bringing a hand up to wipe at the skin beneath her eyes hopelessly. It came away blackened and slightly damp and Belle grimaced with distaste.

"It's nothing Ruby, honestly. What was it?" She asked and her friend's concerned gaze became sorrowful. She sat down on the edge of the trapdoor and bit her lip worriedly.

"I have to get you ready to leave." She said and Belle's mouth fell open in mute horror. Ruby's own expression mirrored hers and Belle felt as though the ground had given way beneath her and her gut had taken a solid blow from an invisible fist.

"Leave? He's sending me away?" She asked and immediately scrambled to her feet. She couldn't leave, he couldn't make her leave, not until they talked and cleared all this mess up. Not before she could apologise and set this all aright. She staggered towards the ladder and made to pass but Ruby stopped her.

"Belle stop, look at yourself… your half-dressed, you look a fright and to be honest I don't think he'd let even you in talk to him… he's shut himself away in his office and won't let anyone in." She said and Belle sagged in her friend's grip.

"He's sending me away." She said weakly and Ruby murmured something unintelligible as she scooped an arm around Belle waist and escorted her back to her bed. They both sat down on the untouched covers and Belle shook her head wearily. Trying to get her head back in order she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and looked over at Ruby who was watching her as though expecting her to break down into an uncontrollable fit of tears. Belle grimaced internally, she was done crying; crying never solved anything. She remembered her mother's words and straightened her back. She needed to be the brave one here.

"Why is he sending me away Ruby, it can't just be because of last night." She said and Ruby sighed.

"It's your father Belle… apparently he called to say that he's very unwell and Mr Gold thinks it would be good for you to go home to care for him, for maybe a week or so." Ruby explained and Belle's throat closed. Papa? Sick? She remembered Gaston saying so but that had been over two weeks ago and Mr Gold had said there was nothing to fear. She took a deep fortifying breath, knowing that now more than ever she needed to be brave.

"Alright, I will go… but I'll be back in a week, will you tell him that... just in time for my birthday." She said to Ruby who nodded tensely and wrapped her arms around Belle's shoulders. Belle felt her eyes burn as she too embraced the girl who had become almost her sister over the single month she spent at the Palace.

"I'll miss you." Belle whispered and felt Ruby's shoulders shake slightly.

"It's only a week." Ruby said wetly and Belle grinned, pulling away to see the brunette's eyes were far from dry.

"I know but I'll still miss you… all of you." She said and Ruby shook her head.

"What happened Belle? We heard all the crashing and all the yelling… did he hurt you?" She demanded, grasping Belle's arm firmly as the younger girl shook her head wearily.

"No, I don't know what… he was just so angry; it was like something else was there, glaring out at me. I've never been more scared then he just stopped, like he'd hit a brick wall. That's when he told me to go." She finished mournfully and Ruby sighed heavily.

"I'll help you pack." She said and Belle nodded.

"Just a small bag of essentials." Belle said and the brunette nodded, gather bits and pieces from around the room. They set about packing and Belle carefully lifted the chirping Calico off her bed to place him beside the china vase of roses on her desk. Ruby's gasp made her whirl around.

"These are beautiful Belle." She said and wandered over to peer at the slightly wilted red roses in their vase, gently tracing their velvet petals in mute delight.

"Prince Charming?" She teased and Belle rolled her eyes.

"I don't know, they just kept popping up… during that week Mr Gold was on his business trip." She said and Ruby seemed to freeze. Her eyes took on a brooding look as she pondered the blossoms before she turned her gaze back towards to other vase on the window sill.

"And those?" She said and Belle turned to smile at the beautiful pair now standing proudly on the sill.

"Don't know either but they have to come from someone else right? Perhaps they're from clients." She said and Ruby nodded slowly.

"Yeah, maybe. Anyway, is this one of yours?" She asked and held out the red suit ensemble Belle had been wearing the day she arrived at the Palace. Belle stretched out her hand and touched the cotton gently.

"Yes, I'll wear it back…" She said and hurriedly stripped out of her chemise to pull it on, not even blushing. Weeks ago she'd have been far too shy to strip before Ruby but now… now she was far more confident and, dare she say, brazen thanks to her nights working in the Palace. Smiling to herself she turned to the mirror and nearly screamed.

"You said I looked like a mess, you didn't say an apocalyptic mess." She muttered, making Ruby snigger slightly and continue to fold the remaining clothes into the suitcase Belle had brought with her.

"Hey, don't bother… I'll be coming back." Belle said, turning back to face her after carefully wiping the blackened skin beneath her eyes with the cloth on her desk.

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked and Belle giggled.

"I wouldn't be coming back… just saying." Ruby continued cheerfully, earning a friendly slap on the arm from Belle who simply slipped on her shoes and ran her brush through her hair to get it under control. She walked over and looked down into the bottom of the trunk, frowning as a small white bundle met her gaze in the corner. She reached for it and drew it out, marvelling at the delicate woollen thread in awe. It was the bundle that Robert had spun all those weeks ago, still untouched or used in any capacity.

"What's that?" Ruby asked and Belle shook her head.

"Nothing, but I'll take it just in case." She lied and hurriedly pressed the beautiful thread into the awaiting pack. After having one last look in the mirror and satisfied that she at least looked better than before, Belle moved to the trapdoor and with Ruby following close behind her, walked down the corridor to the elevator. Inside the glittering contraption she fell silent, hyper-aware she was passing the third floor and its sole occupant, the one person she so despHer thoughts must have stolen onto her face because Ruby reached out and place a gentle hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"I just want to say I'm sorry." Belle said softly and Ruby snorted.

"Don't, he's the jerk here, not you… he'll come around, just wait for the end of the week." She said and Belle nodded, wrapping her arms around herself, suddenly chilled.

"Just wait Belle, by the end of the week he'll be begging to get you back… damn man can't live without you and neither, I assure you, can anyone else." Ruby continued, making Belle smile softly as the doors finally opened onto the atrium which still showed the grime from the night before.

"I should clean this up before I go." Belle murmured and Ruby coughed.

"No, that's it. We need to get you home pronto." Her friend said, shaking her head bemusedly as they walked across the marble floor.

"I have to say goodbye to Granny." Belle said and Ruby slapped her forehead.

"Good thing you thought of it or I'd be dead." Ruby said and Belle giggled, running off into the kitchen to embrace the old, white haired woman inside who looked strangely misty eyed as she pulled away to rejoined Ruby in the atrium.

"Carlyle will take you home." Ruby said, pointing out to the sleek black car parked outside the building and Belle couldn't help but purse her lips unhappily.

"He couldn't wait to get rid of me." She muttered and Ruby sniggered.

"Actually, I called and said it was urgent… Gold can kiss my ass for all I care." She said and Belle laughed at that. Together they stepped outside and embraced one last time. Carlyle opened the back door and Belle stepped inside gracefully, turning back to wave at her friend one last time before the door was closed. In the safety of the car she was able to put her head down and let the waves of emotion roll over her like waves. After whispering the address to Carlyle she stayed silent as the towering skyscrapers around her rose high into the iron-grey heavens. She was in a numbed state of shock, unable to comprehend her situation. Had her father's illness been a coincidence? If it was it couldn't have come at a worse time, all Belle wanted to do was run to Robert and throw herself into his arms… just to let him know she'd never dance again as long as he let her stay. She closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted and close to tears. Playing at the end of her red hem she heaved a great sigh and tried to reign in her misery before it overwhelmed her; she needed to be strong for Papa and arriving at his house in tears was not a good way to start. Not to mention she was going home in a week's time so really, this whole thing would be a cooling off period for her. She after all quite angry with Robert, he'd had no reason to shout at her and even less to act like a spoilt child and fling glasses at a wall because something displeased him… now Ash would probably have to clear everything up. Shaking her head tersely Belle looked up when the car pulled up short and Carlyle got out to re-open her door. Taking in a deep breath Belle prepared herself and carefully clambered out of the car, looking around the familiar street with a faint smile on her lips. Slush was still lying in the gutters; all that remained of the snow after last night's storm, and Belle hurriedly jumped the gap between pavement and car. She smiled at Carlyle and thanked him as cheerfully as she could. He tipped his hat and climbed back into the car. Belle sighed and straightened her shoulder, pulling her jacket closer around her as she leapt over the run down fence at the front of her yard and walked to the door. She lifted her hand to knock and paused, suddenly unable to make the final sound. After all this time would her father still want her? Was he even well enough to answer. Carefully, Belle felt around under the chipped pot plant by the door until the spare key met her chilled fingertips, the cold brass making them go numb. She fumbled with the lock but finally got it to twist. Pushing the door open she swallowed before stepping inside swiftly. It was dark and the only warmth came from the dying fire in the blackened grate in the lounge room. Belle it her lip and hung up her jacket and shawl on their respective hooks before moving towards the kitchen and through to the only other room in the house. Two figures could just be made out in the dimness of the small room, one in the bed and the other hunched over a book in a chair beside it. The lamp had been turned on and by its glow Belle could just make out Lettie and her beloved Papa.

"Papa?" She breathed and flew to the bed, completely disregarding the woman who now rose from her seat to cry out in shock. Belle grasped her Papa's rough brown hand tightly between her two slim, pale ones. Even in the home of her sick father Belle couldn't help but compare his hands to Robert's. Roberts were longer then Papa's, thinner too and much paler. He had callouses but onto on the tips and ridges of his palms, long softened by years behind a desk. In contrast Papa's were strong, thick and tough, covered by a hard layer of callouses and scars. Belle hurriedly pushed such thoughts away and brought her Papa's hand to her cheek, pressing a sweet kiss to the limp knuckles as she stared into his sleeping face. It was pale and gaunt, depleted of colour and energy. The pale skin seemed to stretch over the bones of his face, making his entire head seem like some grotesque, breathing skull.

"Oh Papa, oh my dear sweet Papa." She murmured and leaned forward to press her lips to his forehead. His eyelids fluttered and opened, revealing a pair of bleared hazel eyes. Belle smiled into their confused depths and gripped his hand even tighter.

"Lucinda." He asked in a faint whisper and Belle's breath caught in her throat.

"No Papa, it's me Belle." She said softly, tracing a hand down his brow comfortingly as he struggled to see her in the gloom. Lettie was now speaking.

"Belle, what are you doing here… I called but they said you'd be here tomorrow at the latest." She asked and Belle smiled softly.

"I couldn't wait, I had to come and make sure you were alright Papa." She answered and Lettie sighed, placing a hand on Belle's shoulder wearily. Maurice de Boire's eyes still handed regained clarity and sweat now beaded his brow as Belle looked on helplessly.

"Sleep now Papa, sleep and I'll take care of you." She whispered and, like a child, he closed his eyes tight and drifted off to sleep again. His breathing had become laboured but even and Belle looked worriedly over at Lettie who bit her lip and held open her arms. Belle embraced her and drew back.

"What's wrong with him Lettie?" She asked softly and the grey haired bookstore owner sighed.

"Honestly Belle, it's like a fever but not. If I believed in such nonsense I'd say he was dying of a broken heart." She said and Belle felt her gut wrench awfully.

"I did this." She murmured looking back distractedly at the silent body of her father. Lettie's hand gripped hers tightly and the bespectacled woman shook her head viciously.

"No Belle, it wasn't your fault… it was that monster Gold that took you away." She said and Belle gasped.

"He's not a monster." She cried and her Papa moaned slightly. Belle immediately quietened, moving to his side to replace the cool wash cloth. She glared at Lettie and after making sure her Papa was comfortable indicated for the woman to step into the kitchen. Pausing for a moment to remember where everything was Belle moved to one of the cupboards and coughed when a cloud of dust blew into her face as she opened the door. Grimacing she removed two cups and the kettle. As she filled the kettle with water she sighed, placing it over the pot-bellied stove in a lame effort to heat it. Compared to Granny's wonderfully neat and organised kitchen, the room was a dump. Scum-crusted pots and pans littered the stove and table, dirty plates with half-rotted food lay about in piles and there was a sea of empty whiskey bottles all over the room that made her wince with embarrassment with Lettie standing as a witness by the door.

"Tea?" She asked and Lettie nodded, moving to sit in the only other available chair in the room. Belle prepared the tea in silence and Lettie never once ventured to start a conversation. The awkward moment stretched on until Belle longed to slice it open with a knife. Finally the tea was done and carefully poured two cups, located some sugar and milk and allowed Lettie to make her own brew.

"Thank you taking care of him Lettie." Belle said finally and the woman smiled.

"It's my pleasure Belle, I knew neither you nor your sainted Mother couldn't be here for him but I could and I haven't much to do these days except read." She answered making Belle smile.

"Same old then, nothing's changed?" Belle asked and Lettie shook her head.

"No. You up and disappearing was the liveliest bit of gossip this neighbourhood's seen in decades… I can't wait to let everyone know you're back." She said cheerfully, sipping her tea happily, but Belle choked on her own sip and shook her head rapidly.

"No, Lettie you mustn't I'm only here for the week." Belle said softly and the woman gasped, her eyebrows hitting her hairline in surprise.

"But I thought…"

"I promised… only a week, by that time Papa should be well enough to be left with you coming in once or twice a day." She said and Lettie sighed.

"That Gold ain't even letting you stay until your Papa's well." She scowled and Belle glared.

"On the contrary, Mr Gold has been nothing but a gentleman to me." She retorted making Lettie snigger slightly and sip her tea.

"Well I suppose you look healthy enough, he's not starving you or beating you… which reminds me, did I hear right that you got into trouble on New Year's?" She asked and Belle flinched, trying to put away the memories of that awful night.

"Yes but I don't wish to talk about it." She said and Lettie nodded, clucking sympathetically as she sipped her china cup.

"Perhaps you'll tell an old friend what it's like working at the Palace?" Lettie said and Belle chuckled.

"Like working in a fairy tale… except that I have to scrub the floors of said fairy tale." She joked and Lettie let loose a shrill cackle of delight.

"Oh and the Master?" She asked snidely, lifting her eyebrows in a way that would have had Belle blushing like a sunrise mere weeks ago and now simply made her shrug, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach that always occurred whenever Robert was nearby.

"A great man." Belle replied shortly and Lettie stared at her disbelievingly over the rim of her cup.

"That's all?" She demanded and Belle rolled her eyes warily.

"Honestly Lettie, there's not all that much to say… Mr Gold's a private person; he wouldn't appreciate me saying much to you or anyone else for that matter." She remarked sternly, pushing her saucer away contentedly to stare at Lettie calmly.

"He treats you right? Hasn't tried anything with you?" Lettie demanded and Belle coughed, blushing for the first time. To her chagrin the first thought that had popped into her mind at Lettie's words had been one of want, of wanting Robert to have tried something but that was absurd right? It was a silly fantasy that could never happen now. She warmed at the memory of him, sitting by the fireplace and watching him work, spin or just share a cup of tea in total silence. She remembered being totally at ease around him, about being so very happy in his company. Her good mood vanished almost a suddenly as it had come with the memory of her stupidity, of her utter stupidity of the night before and its fallout. She'd be lucky if they ever shared another evening like that, let alone for him to try something. Shaking her head she sighed and played with the edge of the table.

"No Lettie, he's been very professional." She said finally to the waiting woman who pursed her lips and nodded.

"Just as well, it's not good for a young, talented thing like you to be exposed to that kind of place… it just isn't right." She said, sounding remarkably like Granny despite the age difference of about 10-15 years between them.

"Lettie I'm fine, Mr Gold is perfectly chivalrous when you get to know him." Belle protested softly, conveniently ignoring for the moment the fact that she was currently in pseudo-exile because of one of his tantrums. Lettie frowned and muttered unconvincingly beneath her breath. Belle shook her head and the two decided then and there to agree to disagree. Belle couldn't necessarily blame her; to say that Robert's reputation exceeded him was something of an understatement. Silence reigned again until the two women finished their tea. Sighing Lettie stood and Belle realised she was leaving. Reaching out she grasped her hand tightly and smiled into the book-keeper's face.

"Thank you Lettie." She murmured sincerely and the older woman nodded happily.

"I'm just glad you're home, take care now." She said and Belle saw her out. As soon as she was out of sight Belle whipped her head back inside and turned to survey the devastated house with hands on hips.

"Honestly, I leave for one month and everything goes to bedlam." She muttered darkly and nodded brusquely as she rolled up her sleeves. First step to getting Papa back on track, making sure he didn't get sicker by living in a pig's sty.

OoOoOoO

Robert was in misery, and that misery manifested itself into malicious pleasure. Rather than spend his day checking his investments and loan payments he decided to open up his office to deal-making. It was a rather ingenious plan he's created a few years ago when the Depression hit. Money was fast becoming a short supply but it wasn't the only thing of value these days, tangible goods were fast becoming worth more than the money used to purchase them, insurance schemes, medical endeavours and other deals could always be struck if another party was in possession of something he liked or needed. Pawn-brokering only gained him artefacts for money and soon it became clear that that particular alley of investment was out of the question, no-one was buying; only selling and money was far from plentiful these days. The speakeasies were a steady income of funds, as were his rent payments, loan requests and mob takings from all over New York. Oh yes money made the world go around but he didn't necessarily need it to enjoy the perks of manipulation. Deal-making was rather like money-lending crossed with pawn-brokering; it involved two parties with equal propensity to profit minus the unpleasant business of actually involving monetary supplements. Rarely in these deals was money swapped, often the rewards were of an intangible nature. Belle's deal was one that had taken him by surprise, it was the first deal he'd made in weeks and now he hungered to see what profit could possibly be made out the latest unfortunate. Eager to take his mind of his misery Robert poured himself into his work. So far only one person had sounded promising enough over the phone to grab his attention and he had scheduled a meeting with the man in a few minutes time. Finishing the final signatures on the papers before him Robert leaned back in his chair and tried to ignore the heaviness that purveyed his chest; intertwining with his innards and making his chest seem far too crowded to be considered healthy. With Belle gone, the atmosphere of the whole house seemed to dim. The girls had sunk back into their sullen glares and tentative side stepping of him, Granny all but ignored him whever he decided to show his face in her vicinity and Robert himself kept finding his head snapping up in expectation, searching the office for her soft smile, a russet curl or even a quiet giggle of delight. Each time he sank deeper into dejection, unable to shake the feeling of emptiness that he knew he shouldn't feel. He was a dangerous, bitter and ancient miser who had no place in destroying the happiness of a young girl like her, she was better off with her father… perhaps this week would be good for them both. He nodded and tried to make himself believe that, almost succeeding. There came a sharp knock on the door and Robert looked up from his steepled fingers to bark at the man to enter. The door opened and, exactly as he'd anticipated, a rather raggedly dressed man walked through it. Although far younger then Robert, this man was walking wounded, as any trained eye could tell. He had short curling hair, a rather pale face with large dark eyes that were surrounded in deep smudges of black and a twisted mouth that looked better suited to grinning then frowning as it was now. Robert indicated for the man to sit down without saying a word and the silence stretched on until the man shifted visibly in his seat. Robert smirked and leaned forward.

"Now dearie… I believe you and I had a lovely chat on the telephone earlier, I'm interested to hear your side of the bargain, if you're still interested of course?" He asked quizzically and the man let out a deep breath.

"Of course I am." He muttered tersely and Robert clapped his hands delightedly.

"Excellent, now for the fun bit." He crowed and the man's knuckles whitened to the colour of fresh snow as his grip tightened the brim of a rather outlandishly sized top hat.

**Dun dun dun sometimes I even surprise myself with the plot of this story. Imaginary cookies for anyone who can guess who our mysterious 'dealee' is. Hope you guys liked it, more next time on Belle's relationship with a delirious father, a deal between Mr Gold and a person who will later have a remarkable role in this fic and… maybe, just maybe, the return of Belle. Reviews are desired as always, keep safe lovelies. **


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen:

**OMG finally watched the finale… seriously the best shit ever to happen to television since its bloody conception, OMG Rumple you stupid git why the hell would you want to bring magic back when so far your experience with the stuff has given you nothing but misery? Moron! A deliciously handsome moron, but a moron none the less. Anyway, so with my excitement about to hit the roof I decide to begin with chapter fifteen –whoops- yes dearies this is one of the longest fics I have ever written and I would love to thank each and every one of you whose reviewed, favourited and followed Glittering Gold… I honestly am honoured at your support so thank you, thank you, thank you. **

"I need your help Gold." The man said desperately, causing Robert to smirk and lean over the table to peer at the man playfully.

"Oh no, and here I was thinking it was a social call." He quipped dryly, earning a fierce look from the pale man before him.

"Who are you?" Gold asked and held up an impatient hand when his visitor opened his mouth to respond. Sliding all the construction funding paperwork Opening one of the drawers beside him he rifled through the files in there and finally stopped when he came across the one he wanted. With a smile he pulled it out and flourished it triumphantly before the man's face.

"Let me answer for you dearie… correct me if I get anything wrong." He taunted and opened the manila folder briskly and scanned the information on the page.

"Jefferson Hatter born and raised in Boston, 32 years old as of the 2nd of December last year. Occupation, when not shackled up to the America government, milliner; as was your father and grandfather before you." Gold read confidently, enjoying the way Jefferson seemed to deflate slightly, his already whitened knuckles at the point of splitting the skin stretched thinly over them.

"Recently married I see, to one Amarina Florentine of Florentine and Sons Steel and Shipping Company… congratulations." He murmured sardonically, lifting his gaze to the stunned man across his desk before returning his gaze to the man's file.

"Enlisted in the American forces in 1916, the day after you turned 16 I see… missing presumed killed in action in the Battle of the Somme only to reappear some months later in a German compound under the alliance "Madoc Anderson", an intelligence scouting mission saw you held back behind military lines for another six years after the war ended until you finally returned home to New York to be reunited with Amarina… and a daughter…"

"Shut up!" The man bellowed; standing up so suddenly that the chair he had been sitting in was flung back so far it almost touched the opposite wall. The calm, vacant look that had been in his brown eyes was gone, replaced by a feral sought of madness that Robert recognised with no small chagrin.

"Only to find the mother locked away in an asylum and the daughter… gone." He finished defiantly and his visitor's nails dug deep into the wood of the table, leaving great gorges in the polished mahogany.

"Yes… she was gone. After everything I'd done for this country, all the sacrifices I made, they took my little Grace." He said and Gold smirked.

"Because she was illegimate? Now, now dearie, there are worse things…"

"They took her because they knew who her father was. They knew the danger I had the potential to pose. Amarina's parents never approved of her interest in me… I left for France and nine months later received a letter telling me I'm a father… that was the only piece of sanity keeping me together in that hell hole of a war." Jefferson whispered harshly, traces of the mild mannered man that had walked into the room completely vanishing before Robert's eyes. Robert stood unconcernedly, unable to resist enjoying the ease at which he could pick beneath people's skins. It was rather enjoyable considering his foul mood.

"How did you get that?" Jefferson demanded, indicating with a curt thrust of his chin towards the file on the desk and Robert flourished his wrist lazily.

"I have connections Jefferson, everywhere. Your affiliation with the government concerned me, I'm not the most popular of people in some circles." Gold mused thoughtfully.

"My sense of self-preservation dictates that I should always have as much information about potential clients as possible filed away somewhere. People who are high risk or who hold connections that may be detrimental to my interests are stored away around this building… and I always keep copies." Robert added after seeing the man's fingers twitch slightly before his visitor shrugged as casually as he could, deciding not to press a battle he knew he could not win. Smart man.

"As fascinating as that is… will you help me?" He asked and Gold's own shoulders rose and fell in a hapless shrug.

"Perhaps but it all depends on what you can provide for me in return, as much as my heart bleeds for you, all my magic comes with a price." He murmured wryly making Jefferson scowl blackly in his direction.

"What do you want? I'll give you anything." Jefferson said desperately, flicking his fringe out of his eyes irritably. Gold folded his hands comfortably over his cane and pondered this proposition. Most people would feel guilty for punishing a grieving father even further but Gold was not most people and it was oddly satisfying to be the one in power again, in complete control.

"Anything is an awfully big commitment dearie." He told Jefferson warningly but the man simply frowned.

"I won't lose them both, I promised Amarina I'd find her… and I will, with or without your help. You're not the only person who can help me find her." Jefferson challenged softly and Robert arched a brow quizzically.

"Oh and who, may I ask, is this almighty power you speak of?" He asked, already knowing the hated answer.

"The only other Royalty in the area, you may be King of New York but she is Queen, she will help where you do not." Jefferson said cryptically and Gold sneered.

"That old crone, you're wasting your time even thinking about her… she'd as soon as sell your daughter off to Nubian slavers if it suited her own purposes to do so whereas I am forever bound to uphold my bargains." Gold muttered conceitedly and Jefferson's eyes lightened slightly in satisfaction.

"Then we have an agreement, you'll help me find Grace." He said and held out his hand. Robert glared at him heatedly, ignoring the proffered limb contemptuously.

"Again dearie, you miss the point… in any agreement or deal each party must have something the other wants and thus far I haven't the slightest interest in anything you have to offer." Gold said smartly and, to his amazement the man began to laugh, tears of mirth actually running down his cheeks as he howled with hysterical laughter. The man was mad, for sure.

"You think I have nothing you want? Gold you are not the only one with information, perhaps I should tell you what I know about your son or perhaps I should not." He said between deep calming breaths, his eyes glinting maliciously. Oh so he could play a little tit for tat, how very quaint. Gold's lips parted in a savage snarl.

"What could you possibly know?" He demanded angrily and Jefferson smirked.

"Two words… Project Stevenson." He murmured and Robert felt as though the floor had suddenly given way beneath him. He clutched at the table and sat down hurriedly, trying to regain some composer before speaking again.

"You know?" He asked incredulously and Jefferson nodded.

"Of course, my talent is finding things people don't want me to." He said smugly causing Gold to roll his eyes irritably.

"Then what do you need me for?" He asked and Jefferson sighed.

"Back up. Grace is here in New York, that much I am certain. She goes by the name of Paige, they changed it when she was left at her original home, and she's a ward of the state. Other than that, it's like trying to find a ghost. Right now there are hundreds of kids in homes and I have no idea where to start looking or who else to ask." He said bitterly and grimaced.

"Except you of course, I'm willing to pay any price… parents never give up on their children. I need you to promise you'll back me when I find her, so I can take her back legally." He said and Gold couldn't help but flinch a little. He scowled blackly.

"Very well dearie, I will find your precious Grace and stand in as a reference." Gold said, finally deciding that it was worth the frustration of searching New York's orphanages if it meant finding out more about Bae. He closed his eyes and tried to picture his son's face.

"And you swear that you have the means to find her?" Jefferson demanded hurriedly and Robert rolled his eyes.

"But of course dearie… I'm not one to make propositions like this lightly; planning ahead is something of a specialty of mine." He muttered, trying to ignore the irony of his situation. He was heading into this thing half blind but the rewards for it could well be worth the headache he could feel coming on in his temples.

"And our deal is secure? You won't double cross me?" The younger man asked and Gold hissed angrily, his pride pricked at the man's obvious distrust. Did the rumours say he never broke deals? Peeved at Jefferson's response Robert tried to come up with an adequate dismissal. Shouting would get him nowhere, no matter how much he wanted to right now. There was a slight sound from the door and Gold felt his eyes flicker briefly towards it before returning his gaze to study Jefferson sternly over his desk.

"But of course, I give my word." He said stiffly and Jefferson nodded. He scooped up his hat from where it now lay on the floor of the office and carefully dusted the worn velvet clean of lint

"The deal is struck." Gold said, as much a habit as anything else, and his visitor sighed loudly.

"You drive the hardest bargains Gold, damn you." He said and Robert couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. This moment was just too precious.

"Come now, you don't have much of a choice… I'm your best chance of getting her back and we both know it." He murmured smugly, and yet again a soft sound could be heard from the door. Aware that this meeting would now have to be drawn to a close, for legality reasons of course, Robert cleared his throat.

"Now Jefferson dearie, if that is all…" He asked teasingly and the other heaved a great sigh.

"I can't lose her Gold, she'd my daughter… I'm risking everything coming to you." He said and the deal-maker cackled delightedly.

"Only the desperate come to me dearie and you are certainly a desperate soul, I will find her rest assured but when I do I expect you and I will meet again to discuss the payment." He muttered and Jefferson nodded. The two men stared at each other for a whole second and then Jefferson blinked. Wordlessly they stood and moved to the door.

_OoOoOoO_

Henry hummed merrily as he all but skipped towards the Palace, his book tucked comfortably beneath his arm and a secretive smile on his lips. He was on a mission, just like his mother, just like Graham. He approached the impressive looking building, not as intimidated by its grandeur as he had been weeks ago, and knocked. A few moments later a rather harried looking Ashley appeared and she jumped at the sight of him. He knocked again, eager to see Belle and the others. She bit her lip and her big blue eyes seemed to waver between tears and happiness. Henry frowned and called to her. Finally she walked over and unlocked the doors, holding them open to admit him into the warmth of the entrance hall.

"Hello." He said cheerfully and Ash smiled tremulously as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Hello Henry, ready for some hot chocolate?" She asked and he nodded, rubbing his chilled fingers together in a lame effort to bring the feeling back into their tips. Together they made their way into the kitchen where he was immediately swarmed by Mrs Lucas, Ruby and Mary Margret all of whom seemed overly bright and cheerful. On guard he allowed them to sit him down by the stove, pestering with questions about school and his mum.

"Emma's doing fine I hear?" Ruby asked casually and Henry nodded, the familiar pride he held for his mother intensifying.

"Yes, she and Graham cracked a string of murders last week." He said and Ruby's eyes widened.

"Really, how dreadfully exciting." She remarked dryly and he shrugged, unable to hide his grin.

"It was a mobster on the West Side who was killing off the competition, real gruesome too." He explained eagerly/

"You boys and your gore… all the same." Mary Margret muttered, making Ruby and Granny nod seriously. Henry giggled as Granny handed him a steaming cup of purely melted chocolate and sipped with relish until the real reason he'd come bit him sharply on the frontal lobe.

"Hey, it's been great talking but I've got to see Belle." He said and hopped down from the chair only to find Ruby and Mary Margret blocking his way upstairs, identical guilty looks on their faces. Henry stared between them suspiciously.

"What's going on?" He demanded slowly and Mary Margret sighed.

"Belle's not here Henry." She said softly and Henry gasped.

"What? But I thought she couldn't leave, did she get ill? Is she dead? Did Mr Gold kill her?" He asked worriedly, staring between all four of them in panic. They were too stunned to speak at first and Henry felt his heart clench in horror. Ruby was the first to calm down enough to alleviate his fears.

"She's fine Henry, I swear. She's gone to care for her Papa… he's very ill." She said and there was a strange tremor in her voice that belied her rational expression. His mother often referred to it as the 'bullshit tremor' something people often didn't know they did whenever they told a lie but was a reliable way of determining the truth. Fixing her with his best 'Deputy Swan Glare' Henry frowned and leaned closer to Ruby.

"You're lying, about something." He said and went to move past her but was caught by the jacket. Suddenly he knew he had to talk to Mr Gold, he had to. He struggled widely and managed to wriggle free of her grasp, bolting to the stairs and flying up them despite the cries from below. Henry ran as fast as he could up to the third floor, threw open the door and hurried to the door that separated Mr Gold's office from him. He paused and suddenly, his bravery failed him. This was the infamous office of Mr Gold, the Mr Gold of New York City. Henry swallowed and took a deep breath. Pressing his luck he crouched by the door and pressed his ear to the key hole, the faint sound of voices reaching his ear as he paused outside the door.

"And you swear that you have the means to find her?" A masculine voice he didn't recognise asked and Henry's interest was pricked, apparently he'd just overheard the tail end of one of Gold's infamous deals.

"But of course dearie… I'm not one to make propositions like this lightly, planning ahead is a specialty of mine." The distinctive brogue of Mr Gold replied candidly.

"And our deal is secure? You won't double cross me?" The man asked and Gold's hiss made Henry grin a little. A scoundrel Gold may be but it was also infamous that the legendary deal-maker never went back on his word… ever. Henry remembered his mother and Graham saying something of the sort ages ago and it appeared the rumours were true. When Gold spoke it was tightly and rather short.

"But of course, I give my word." He said and there was a muffled sound of movement beyond the wooden portal.

"The deal is struck." Gold said and his visitor sighed loudly.

"You drive the hardest bargains Gold, damn you." He said and Gold's chuckle was dry with amusement.

"Come now, you don't have much of a choice… I'm your best chance of getting her back and we both know it." He murmured smugly, Henry had to stifle his own snigger. The poor man was obviously desperate, only the desperate man deals with Gold.

"Now Jefferson dearie, if that is all…" Gold continued teasingly and the other man sighed. Henry pressed closer and held his breath, straining to hear as much of the transgression as possible.

"I can't lose her Gold, she'd my daughter… I'm risking everything coming to you." He said and the deal-maker cackled delightedly.

"Only the desperate come to me dearie and you are certainly a desperate soul, I will find her rest assured but when I do I expect you and I will meet again to discuss the payment." Mr Gold said and there was a scraping of chairs, as though they were both standing. Henry had moments before they opened the door and found him. Stumbling back he pressed himself to the other wall and tried to look innocent as his prophecy was forefilled. Mr Gold and a pale man with a funny top hat stood in the doorway, deeply engrossed in their conversation.

"I will contact you when I have located the girl… now scoot, Amaris is sure to be missing you and we can't disappoint women-folk, it's a dangerous occupation at best these days." Gold murmured and grinned widely at the younger man who sighed and placed the hat atop his head wearily. He nodded brusquely to Gold before his eyes travelled around to alight on Henry. He jumped and the dark brown orbs narrowed suspiciously.

"Who are you?" He demanded sharply and Gold turned to look almost lazily at Henry, as though seeing him there came as no surprise to him at all.

"Ah Master Swan, on time I see." He said and the man called Jefferson seemed to relax slightly. He extended his hand to Henry who shook it firmly as Graham had taught him.

"Jefferson Hatter." The man said and Henry grinned.

"Henry Swan." He replied, making Jefferson nod and a slight smile appear on his lips. It suited him to smile, his face was drawn with weariness but beneath it all Henry could tell Jefferson was the type who preferred to laugh and smile. He looked over at Mr Gold expectantly. The stern-faced businessman cleared his throat.

"I wish you a pleasant day dearie." He said to Jefferson who nodded curtly and turned sharply on his heel to stalk away down the corridor to the elevator. When he was out of sight Henry looked over at Gold warily, half expecting the man to be furious with him. He was shocked however to see that the generally stoic man seemed almost on the point of exhaustion as he stared at Henry curiously from across the hall.

"Well you might as well come in... no point in sneaking around keyholes." He muttered tiredly and held the door open. Embarrassed Henry felt his cheeks flush a deep shade of cerise and, unable to meet Gold's eyes, he shuffled awkwardly in the hallway. Apparently his spy skills needed improvement. Hesitating for a fraction of a moment Henry stepped forwards and entered the office, gazing round it in wonder. He remembered vaguely his visit to Belle only weeks ago, the room had seemed brighter then and Henry realised that Belle's presence was what made the place come alive… she breathed her own kind of magic into the grey-stone walls and even it seemed the man who owned them. That man had limped over to stand by the fireplace, not even sparing Henry a look.

"May I ask what you're doing here lad?" He asked, not unkindly but certainly not in a tone that made Henry feel as though warm tingles were being shot through his veins. He licked his lips and stepped forward.

"I was looking for Belle." He said simply, deciding that it was best to be honest. Gold flinched slightly, his gaze never wavering from the flickering flames at his feet.

"Ah yes… she is not here." He said softly and Henry sighed.

"Ruby said so but I just wanted to make sure she's okay… where is she really? Is her Dad actually sick?" He asked worriedly and Gold smirked thinly as he turned his face to look at Henry for the first time since entering the room.

"Yes, she is gone for the week… perhaps more." He added and even Henry could hear the mournful tone behind his carefully neutral expression.

"Will she be back for her birthday?" Henry asked and Gold frowned, his thin face seeming to crease into even deeper lines.

"Birthday… of course, her birthday." He murmured softly, almost to himself, as Henry stared at him expectantly.

"Master Swan I cannot say for sure but I assume… she will be re-joining us in time for her birthday." He said and Henry smiled.

"In that case… I need a present for her." He exclaimed excitedly and Gold quirked a brow at him curiously.

"Indeed, did you have anything in particular in mind?" He asked and Henry shrugged.

"No idea… we're not very good at this gift-giving thing are we?" Henry pointed out starkly, sitting down in the nearby chair thoughtfully. Gold chuckled and sat down opposite him. For the first time Henry noted the flash of pain that raced across the man's face as he sat down and stretched out his right leg. He bit his bottom lip, wondering how Gold actually injured himself.

"It would appear so. Perhaps…" He broke off and shook his head, muttering something fiercely under his breath, his face twisting into an ugly look of fury that put Henry on edge. His eyes flickered up to meet Henry's and immediately he sighed, the look fading as though it had never been.

"Sorry lad, rough morning." He muttered and gestured lamely to the door.

"What was that about?" Henry asked curiously and Gold's smirk broadened into a look of genuine amusement.

"Sorry lad, I'm not at liberty to tell." He said and Henry rolled his eyes.

"Very well… if you can't tell me about that maybe you can start with what Belle likes instead?" He said and couldn't control his grin when Gold's eyelids flickered slightly. Why did adults always make things so much harder for themselves?

"Do you think Belle is pretty Mr Gold?" Henry asked and the deal-broker jerked with surprise.

"Well… I suppose, I mean she's…" He faltered and glared at Henry.

"What do you think?" He asked and Henry smiled broadly, feeling the familiar fluttering in his chest at the thought of Belle's bright blue eyes and happy smile. He'd had a bit of a crush on her since she'd kissed him on New Year's Eve but he was smart enough to know when he didn't have a snow ball's chance in hell.

"She's the most beautiful woman in the world." He said confidently and to his surprise Mr Gold didn't chuckle like most adults would, simply stared at Henry thoughtfully before sighing heavily.

"Well… she likes roses." He murmured softly and shook his head wearily. Henry smirked.

"It's a start." He said and both looked around when a hard knock reached their ears from the door. Gold scowled and barked for the person to enter. A flustered looking Ruby moved into the room, red cape slightly askew, and Henry smiled at her. Gold on the other hand growled quietly and glowered at the slim woman darkly.

"What do you want?" He asked curtly and Ruby licked her lips.

"Just making sure Henry wasn't making a nuisance of himself." She said and Henry rubbed his neck sheepishly. Gold however rolled his eyes and motioned for her to get out.

"He's fine where he is Miss Lucas, now kindly remove yourself from my office." He ordered, barely sparing the girl another glance as she trudged back out into the corridor, closing the door behind her softly. Henry glared at Gold.

"That wasn't nice." He said and Gold sniggered.

"Who said I'm a nice person dearie?" He asked whimsically and returned to his prior position of staring into the fireplace. He had reverted to his usual stoic self and the man who Henry had glimpsed briefly was gone, hidden away behind a wry smile and cold eyes.

"She was only trying to help." He said pointedly, offended for Ruby at his behaviour.

"She's done enough already, now why don't we move back to a conversation we can both agree on hm?" Gold muttered playfully and Henry rolled his eyes. He suddenly remembered a conversation he'd had with Belle, during her cleaning session all those weeks ago.

"I've got it… she loves books right?" He said and Gold pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"Yes." He admitted, seeming to ponder his own memory, and Henry grinned.

"You could get her a really rare one. One that says Happy Birthday and I'm Sorry all at once." Henry said triumphantly and smirked as Gold nodded absently before the fall implication of Henry's proposition hit him. His eyes narrowed and he glared sideways at Henry.

"What makes you think I need to say sorry for anything?" He asked bitterly and Henry snorted.

"Everything, you look exactly like Graham did when he accidently busted mum half dressed in the police station bathroom… man that was a funny day." Henry muttered and grinned at the memory of Graham skirting around Emma for about a week before both were comfortable enough to actually talk normally around each other.

"That sounds like quite the tale." Gold murmured sardonically and Henry nodded, deciding that now was a good time to take his leave. He stood and moved to the door. Looking back he smiled at the deal-maker who was staring into space with a distinctly detached air.

"Think about it Mr Gold, if she's going to be living here then it might be better to bite the bullet and say you're sorry. I know Belle and she really thinks you're worth it." Henry said and the deal-maker seemed to grow slightly less morose. Then it disappeared and the stoic mask was back in place.

"Whatever you say lad, take care now." He said and moved away to stand before the large windows on the far side of the room. Henry rolled his eyes and left the Palace quickly, wishing silently that his message had sunk half-way through.

_OoOoOoO_

"Lucinda!" The sharp cry rent the still air of the house and Belle dropped the broom in panic, racing through to find her Papa rolling on the twisted sheets, sweating and entangled as the fever worsened. She'd contacted a doctor almost as soon as Lettie had left and her dismay had only grown when the man announced her father's condition was caused by excessive drinking, bad hygiene and poor nutrition.

"He'll have to get worse before he gets better, make sure he's hydrated and that the house is cleaned. Give him this every four hours to relieve the temperature." The portly gentlemen ordered before Belle had thankfully ushered him from the house. Now Belle was all alone with a delirious Papa and a house that felt as though it hadn't been cleaned in years. Knowing she couldn't linger on such thoughts Belle forced herself to calmly take her Papa's hand and squeeze it gently, as she'd done all night whenever he'd needed her to. It was hot and sweaty, grasping at her own cooler hand tightly as he sought to look at her blearily in the dimness of the room.

"Lucinda, my sweet Lucinda?" He breathed and Belle shook her head.

"No Papa, can't you see your Belle? Oh Papa please." She begged, unable to stand the heartbreaking hope in his eyes as he looked at her. His fevered eyes searched her face, took in her hair and he leaned forwards to wrap a strong hand around her waist.

"Lucinda love, I've missed you." He murmured as his eyelids drooped and he sank back into the mattress. Belle bit her lip to keep herself from crying, gently tucking the blankets in around him and leaning in to press a soft kiss to his brow.

"Sleep well Papa." She told him lovingly, stepping back when his breathing deepened a little and he relaxed into the bed, as much as he could with the obviously unpleasant sensations of the fever. Backing swiftly out of his room Belle went back to her housework and set about trying to make the place respectable again. All excess rubbish had been dumped into bins and carted outside; the furniture had been dusted down and cleared away to discourage critters from making more of a home in the shadows. Sweeping came next, followed by mopping and soon Belle found herself singing softly as she scrubbed away at the crusted grime on the pots and pans in the kitchen. Most of the house now appeared much better, the floors were clear and clean, the furniture was free of dust mites and even the air seemed fresher, probably due to her cracking the lounge room window open wide enough to allow the stale air to distillate slightly. As it turned out the hardest part of the whole day was the washing up. No matter how hard she tried, some remnants of food remained stubbornly bonded to the irons of the pots. Plates were easily dealt with, cups and other utensils also, but when she went to find food for the night's dinner, aware that she hadn't eaten anything besides the cup of tea the afternoon before with Lettie, she found the cupboards bare of any eatable substances. She grumbled about having to travel out of the house to find food, thus running into inquisitive locals. She honestly didn't need the stress of explaining her situation on fifty separate occasions to busy-bodies who had nothing better to do that pester her with questions until she wanted to rip her hair out by its roots. As if by divine intervention, at that very moment there came a knock at the door. Hurriedly she moved to answer it, throwing the door wide to see Lettie standing there with a basket of stable foodstuffs in her hand. Bread, eggs, milk and some meats winked at Belle from beneath the bouquet of daisies Lettie had purchased to alleviate the sombre mood of the house.

"Oh Lettie, you didn't have to." Belle cried but the older woman waved away her response with an irritable flutter of her hand.

"Go fetch a vase for these daisies and put it near your father." She ordered and Belle smiled bemusedly as she went to comply. After locating an old, chipped mug that seemed deep enough to work Belle placed the sweet smelling bunch near her Papa's head and stroked his sweating forehead gently. She quickly wiped his brow with a cool rag, checking the time ot see if he needed a new dose of medicine and tucked the blankets more securely about him. It frightened her to see her father this way. He'd always been a pillar of strength to her, indomitable and solid as an oak tree. Unable to bare the sight of him weak as an infant Belle moved back out into the kitchen to find Lettie just finishing up making sandwiches for them both. She turned to smile at Belle who yawned widely and slumped into the nearest chair.

"How is he?" Lettie asked and Belle sighed.

"No better but the doctor says it treatable. He doesn't see me though, he thinks I'm my mother." She replied sadly and Lettie shook her head.

"That's because you're a bloody spitting image of her Belle. He's reaching out for a memory, something to keep him grounded and everyone knew how much your parents adored each other… talk of the neighbourhood." Lettie murmured softly and shoved the plated sandwich across the table. Ravenously Belle fell upon the food and devoured it, barely pausing to breath or chew. Lettie chuckled.

"You'll get a stomach ache eating that way, calm down Belle." She accosted gently and Belle blushed, setting down the remains of her sandwich mournfully.

"So you're here for the week? Until your birthday?" Lettie asked and Belle nodded.

"Yes." She murmured and Lettie nodded thoughtfully.

"Given any thought as to what you want?" She asked and Belle shrugged.

"I don't care so much these days… it seems silly to want things with so much going on right now. The lines at employment offices are getting longer, churches are overflowing with newborns that no one afford to keep and the only thing I want is Papa to get better." She said softly and Lettie scowled.

"Just because this world is going to hell doesn't mean you can't want something Belle." She said and her younger friend laughed bitterly. Belle finished off the rest of her plate without speaking and sat back to look around the spotless kitchen. From the other room they could hear Papa's ragged breathing and Belle sighed.

"This is all my fault." She breathed and Lettie's outraged gasp made her look up hurriedly from where she'd been tangling her fingers in her lap.

"Annabelle Lucinda de Boire, never let me hear you say that again." Lettie said, sounding for all intents and purposes like a scolding aunt. Belle ducked her head sheepishly.

"It's just that… he's so sick and this place was filthy, he needed me and I wasn't here." She said and Lettie shook her head.

"Belle, your father would have had to look after himself anyway, one day you'd marry and leave him for good it wasn't as if he couldn't see that coming." Lettie said sensibly and Belle shrugged.

"I don't want to get married." She said mildly and Lettie's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Nonsense, every girl wants to get married." She replied and Belle rolled her eyes. Apparently every girl but her. Belle wasn't so much excited about marriage as to being I love. Seeing Ashley's happiness with Sean had reawaken her old longings to be cherished by someone other than her Papa. Gaston didn't love her, as much as he pursued her. He saw them as a future couple because it was expected but Belle knew she'd never be happy as his wife. She pondered who she could be happy with. August was a good choice, he was young, adventurous and seemed to like her enough. Belle dismissed him almost immediately though, she didn't love him. She loved… she paused. Her browed furrowed and she shook her head, trying to dislodge the thought of Robert from her mind, dismissing it as a fantasy.

"I'm not in a hurry." Belle said finally, shaking her hair out of her eyes and running a finger around the edge of her plate.

"I want to see the world, I want to have adventures." She continued excitedly and Lettie shook her head. Belle rolled her eyes and prepared herself for the seminar.

"You say that now but what about in a few years' time, when all the girls you went to school with have their own babies and you're all alone in some African safari tour with nothing but apes to play mother with?" Lettie said and Belle chuckled. Ever predictable Lettie had decided to open up her favourite can of worms, not even a day back and the two were back to discussing Belle's future marriage proposals.

"Do you really see me as that unlucky in love?" Belle said teasingly and Lettie snorted.

"I said nothing of love Belle. People don't marry for love, they marry for position… love may come into it later but if you marry for love it never lasts, there's something tragic about loving someone." She muttered and Belle shook her head determinedly.

"What about my parents?" She demanded and Lucinda sighed.

"What they had was rare, it's incredibly rare to find love in this world but I'll admit it when I thought they were the luckiest pair of fools I'd ever seen." She murmured, her eyes glazing over at the distant memories. Belle shook her head bemusedly. Lettie had been telling her the same thing for years now, ever since her mother died and Belle had become 'a proper young lady.' Marriage was not something Belle had ever given much thought about, all the books she'd read over the years had never focused on it as much as the idea of love. Love was what was important, not marriage. People didn't need a certificate to verify that they loved each other, they just needed each other.

"I won't marry any one unless I love them." Belle murmured confidently and earned nothing but a weak sigh from her friend.

"Then I doubt you'll get married at all." She returned frankly, making Belle wince.

"Are you saying that no man could ever love me?" Belle asked, hurt at the woman's suggestion. Sure Lettie's whole stance on love was callous at best but it couldn't be that hard to imagine Belle in a relationship, a loving relationship? Stung, Belle recoiled in her seat. Lettie's grey eyes widened and she hurriedly reached over the table to grasp Belle's hand tightly in hers.

"No Belle, I'm just saying that it won't last… I don't want to see your hopes raised only to be dashed to pieces when some bastard breaks your heart." She soothed and Belle smiled.

"We'll see… I believe in love." She said firmly as Lettie opened her mouth to retort sardonically. A hoarse shout rent the air and Belle sighed.

"Thanks for dropping by Lettie, I really appreciate all you've done for me and Papa." Belle said and Lettie waved away her thanks.

"Don't mention it." She said and the two stood.

"I'll see myself out." Lettie said and Belle nodded thankfully, moving back into her Papa's room to check up on him. She heard the front door close and she smiled bravely as she entered the dimly lit room. Papa was awake again and looking at the clock beside his bouquet of flowers Belle spooned out a teaspoon of the foul-looking medicine. Sitting down beside him she eased him up enough to swallow the concoction and grimaced when he did. It must have tasted as lovely as it looked, brown and murky slime that made Belle's snort twitch in disgust.

"There now Papa, you know it makes you feel better." She soothed and was greeted with a faint curse. She smiled and stroked his face lovingly, the scratchy stumble on his chin rough not as rough on her palm as she remembered. Turning her hands over Belle inspected the skin quizzically. She chuckled when she realised the skin of her palms had toughened under her labour at the Palace. Small callouses had developed on the pads of her fingers and her nails were short and cracked from working with water. She smiled at the memory of her deportment lessons as a child, remembering with a grimace the old governess who'd stressed the ideal hands for any woman were those of velvet softness and fragility. Although pale and small, Belle's hands were anything but fragile now.

"Take that Madame Ginger." She muttered and her father coughed. Her eyes travelled down his face again and she smile thinly. He was watching her fondly, a soft smile to his lips.

"Hello Papa." She murmured and he reached out a hand to tug on one of her curls.

"Belle?" He whispered and she gasped, realising just how much it had affected her when he didn't recognise her. Grasping his hand she held it against her cheek, nuzzling into the toughened palm and smiling into her father's beloved face.

"Yes Papa I'm here." She told him and, to her surprise, he frowned.

"No, you can't be here… he wouldn't let you come." He murmured and Belle pulled up sharply. Even as sick as he was apparently her Papa's hatred of Robert still burned as brightly as before.

"Papa I'm here now, I'm here." She repeated and he moaned, shaking his head and closing his eyes.

"No, no, no. My Belle is gone." He muttered and Belle's heart broke into a thousand tiny pieces. She moved to lie down beside him, taking his hand and pressing soft kisses along the knuckles. He groaned and shook his head, unwilling to believe.

"Papa I'm here, it _is_ me." She whispered and finally his eyes snapped open. His head turned on the pillow to look at her dazedly and he stretched out his remaining hand to cup her chin.

"Belle? Is it really you?" He asked desperately and she nodded.

"Yes Papa, I'm here." She murmured and suddenly she was crushed against a broad chest that shook with tumultuous sobs. Pressing her face into his chest she felt her own tears leak out the sides of her eyes, all the homesickness and misery she'd felt since leaving his side finally allowing itself to come to the surface. Holding onto him like she had as a child, Belle took comfort from her Papa's embrace, however weak it was now. She felt his fingers caress her skin and hair, trying to convince himself that she was there, that this wasn't just some dream. Belle squeezed her eyes tightly shut at that, afraid to see the hurt in her father's eyes. Instead she simple grasped him tighter, stroking his stubbled chin and resting her head on his chest, listening to the uneven rhythm of his heartbeat. She found herself drifting off to sleep, as she had as a little girl. Under her head his breathing became regulated. Finally looking up she saw he'd fallen asleep again. Exhausted from the sickness and his anguish Maurice de Boire was finally peaceful in sleep. Smiling Belle shifted out from under his arm and stood, tucking him in again. Moving out into the kitchen she saw her bag, still lying by the door and went to open it. The soft bundle of woollen thread fell out and rolled across the floor, bouncing once before pausing by the leg of the table. She bent and picked it up. Unthinkingly she brought it to her nose and inhaled its scent delicately. Although it had been weeks since he'd touched it, there was a faint aroma of sandalwood that was distinctly his. Belle's lips quivered as she drew the wool away from her face and swallowed heavily. She remembered her previous thoughts about Robert, when she'd been talking with Lettie and her bottom lip was soon gnawed at profusely as she contemplated her feelings on the matter. Was it possible that she could like him? The thought was frightening and, dare she say it, exciting. Greatly confused she sat down at the kitchen table and stared at the wool in her hands, marvelling once again at its softness and fineness. Although plain in dye its natural colouring took on the appearance of spun gold. It was a beautiful gilded cream, the kind that glimmered whenever the sunlight caught it just so. Smiling Belle fully unravelled it and laid the length out on the worn surface of the table. She moved to one of the drawers and took out a box of matches and some scissors. Returning to her chair she measured it out around her left wrist and cut three even strips from the main length. There was still much of it left over and she wrapped it back up swiftly before turning her attention to the three strips. Shaking the feeling she'd disturbed something of great importance Belle picked up each strip.

"It's high time I did something with it." She determined and, her fingers working instinctively, began to braid the delicate strips rapidly. The world around her faded away, like it did whenever she became engrossed in her reading, and all she could see was the glimmering pieces of wool, sliding over each other as she weaved them into a tight circlet of creamy wool. This done, she made two small loops in the circlet which provided a means of tightening and loosening the bracelet. Happily she lifted up the rather plain piece of jewellery and tugged it on over her right wrist, admiring the smooth, neatly braided pattern from a distance. To her it seemed to glow like a circlet of gold and Belle had to admit it was one of her finer pieces. She'd often made bracelets of the same kind as a child, the last she'd created had been a blue, yellow and pink one she'd placed around her mother's wrist on her deathbed, per her instructions. Belle had been unable to try and recreate another after that, unable to see the point. Now she had a memory, a good one, to place with the bracelet. It was a light, a light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of the week she'd go back to Robert, they'd sought all this mess out and it would be exactly like old times. Her hand stretched up to feel beneath her collar, touching the diamonds that sat there nervously. Tempted to remove them she fingered the clasp for a moment before remembering her promise and sighing heavily. Every day the necklace had begun feeling more and more like a yoke or collar, a tie to something she was no longer connected to mind or body. To draw her mind away from such thoughts she touched the braided bracelet around her wrist and smiled, her thoughts flying to the man himself, wondering what he was doing and if he was thinking of her too.

"Oh Robert." She breathed and smiled, unable to quell the sudden fluttering in the depths of her gut. Shaking her head she tried to dismiss the warmth growing inside her, such thoughts could lead nowhere… right?

_OoOoOoO_

"He let her go." Regina mused thoughtfully, hand cupping her chin pensively as she leaned against her desk. She took a carefree sip of red wine and smiled at its sweet, slightly fruity taste. The finest import from Italy, a heaven-send during this god forsaken drought. Gold had apparently let the girl go, a rather interesting development if only slightly disadvantageous in collecting information from the Palace. With the girl and the necklace no longer there Regina had no ears inside and thus no way to know what the man was doing. On the other hand, knowing that the girl had been allowed to leave and had escaped any real punishment at Gold's hand whatsoever, were prizes enough in themselves. Tapping the glass in thought Regina tried to make sense of it. Alright so the man may be fond of the girl, not unexpected since the time they'd spent together had revealed high levels of trust, however the fact that the altercation between them had resulted in little to no violence was unusual… it was not Gold's way. And the fact that it the girl's late night activities that had been the thing to set him off was very interesting. Of all the things the little chit could have done, that was the one thing that got Gold.

"My, my I never took you for the jealous type Robert." She smirked and took another sip of wine. A few moments of silence passed and a thumping on the stairs alerted her to one of her men approaching.

"A letter ma'am." The black-suited fellow said and she invited him over. Smiling she took the outstretched envelope from him and saw that it had been cleared by security before arriving in her hands. Nodding for him to leave she waited until he was gone before opening the envelope and pulling out the ornate invitation inside.

_Dear Sir or Madam,_

_You have been cordially invited to celebrate a Midwinter Ball, held at The Palace on the 5th of February 1933._

_Please wear appropriate attire and a mask is essential. _

Smiling Regina flipped the card over to make sure the watermark was genuine. It was. It was a little late for Midwinter Balls, January had always been a time for such things so why… Regina sat up straight.

"No." She breathed and looked down at the invitation in her hand. He couldn't have, surely he couldn't think she wouldn't notice. Sure he didn't know about the necklace but he must be aware of spies even in his rather solid ranks? Regina stared at the envelope and shook her head in amazement.

"Well, well, well Robert… whatever shall I bring the birthday girl?" Regina asked and threw the invitation disgustedly onto the black lacquered surface of her table.

"Gaston!" She bellowed and moments later the man's brown head appeared at the stairs, shortly followed by the rest of him. He walked leisurely towards her table and sat down across from her. She smiled and indicated for him to read the invitation. He did so and his brow furrowed in confusion.

"A party?" He asked and she rolled her eyes. Either the man was mentally unfit or he simply didn't care about the girl. Both options were highly plausible and Regina would not have been all that surprised if both turned out to be correct.

"Yes idiot a party, at the Palace." She hissed and he recoiled sharply. He flicked the invitation towards her again and she picked it up, smiling as she re-read the simple scrawl.

"5th of February, is that a familiar date to you?" She asked and Gaston cocked his head to the side.

"Should it?" He asked dully and Regina nodded exasperatedly.

"I believe it is your lovely Belle's birthday, perhaps you should surprise her with an unexpected visit?" She said and Gaston straightened. His face was eager, eager to get out and do something.

"Yes! What an idea." He said and smiled at her proudly from across the table.

"Has the necklace been interesting?" He asked and Regina waved her hand dismissively.

"Of course but that is not important. For now we focus on the party, when you arrive your goal will be to locate your precious Belle and see to it that she has a marvellous time meanwhile I'll distract the old Scot." She said and Gaston nodded, the grin becoming knowing. Regina felt her gut recoil at the naked lust in his eyes and hid it over the careful smirk she plastered to her face.

"She's currently at her father's house, do not however go there." She warned him and he frowned.

"Why?" He asked and Regina smiled.

"Because the best things in life take time, the longer you wait the sweeter the reward." She murmured and the young man across from her nodded, his face becoming a mirror to her own.

**Dayum this is going fast, next scene will be a little more of a snap shot of Belle's life with her father, Gold is going to find a birthday present (pure fluff alert) and the part scene will commence. Thanks again to all you guys who've been reviewing my story, you are simply the best. **


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

**So watching Skin Deep today and realising that I may have left a few crucial titbits out can have a major boost in creativity. This chapter ended differently to how I originally planned it but I don't think it was for the worst, I actually like this way better. Thanks so much for all the reviews guys, hope you enjoy chapter 16. **

"Papa, if I catch you trying to get out of bed one more time I will tie you to the bed and spoonfeed you for the rest of the week… not something either of us wants right?" Belle threatened seriously, watching as her father's face slackened slightly and he slowly retreated back under the covers. It had been two days since his fever had broken, two days of solid protesting. If it was one thing Maurice de Boire hated it was appearing weak before anyone, especially his daughter. As it turned out his daughter didn't give two shakes about his feelings on the matter, since for the next two days she'd kept him abed with threats, bargains and even a little begging. After only being in the small three roomed house for four days Belle was optimistic that life was returning to normal for her beloved Papa. He could sit up in bed completely unassisted, he was shouting at her from one end of the house to the other and even a few times managed to stumble the few feet to the door of his room. Belle was at her wits end. Although he was evidently recovering rapidly she only had a week to make sure he wouldn't relapse, knowing that when she eventually told him of her return to the Palace all hell was going to break loose. Sighing she buried herself up to her elbows in soap suds, scrubbing away at stubborn food stuffs and pondering how it would be best to broke the subject. Apparently just telling him was out of the question, every time she'd tried to talk about her weeks spent with Robert her Papa's face clouded over like a storm and he sulked silently for hours. Unsure at how to tell him Belle was glad she could at least count upon Lettie as a source of consistency.

"I just don't know how to tell him Lettie." She said that evening whilst the two of them sat at the dinner table playing gin, or rather Lettie was playing gin and Belle was distractedly loosing round after round of the game. Lettie pushed her glasses further up her nose and, with a sigh, placed her cards face down on the table.

"My approach would be to just tell him." She said sternly and Belle sighed heavily.

"Every time I bring it up, or try to, he shuts down… he doesn't want to know about anything that happened in the Palace." Belle replied softly and Lettie reached across the table to grasp her hand.

"Aren't you lucky you've got me then? Personally I find the whole thing fascinating." She teased and Belle rolled her eyes. That was a little true at least. Whereas Maurice point blank refused to submit himself to a discussion, Lettie was more open to a few tales and titbits.

"Tell me more about Mr Gold. Did you know he came here a few weeks ago?" Lettie asked and Belle shook her head. Her older companion nodded.

"Oh yes, came to check up on the house and your Papa… not quite what I was expecting. He's rather intense, I didn't even know he limped." Lettie said and Belle felt herself smile knowingly.

"Mr Gold has that effect on people. It's unnerving for most people because they don't know how to act around him. He gives off this idea that he's taciturn and tough but under all that I know he's different." Belle murmured and rested her chin on her forearms.

"You like him." Lettie said and there was a note of wonder in her voice. Belle's head snapped up to look at the bookstore owner incredulously.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked and Lettie smiled.

"Belle give me a little credit, I may not believe in love but I can recognise infatuation when I see it… you like Mr Gold." She said and Belle felt her stomach drop. Could she really? She thought back on all their time spent together, the way it hurt when she remembered his dismissal. At that thought she gazed down at her new bracelet and frowned.

"Lettie we're just… I don't even know what we are." She murmured and a dry, sun spotted hand touched her head gently.

"Oh Belle." Lettie sighed and Belle tilted her head to look up at her friend helplessly.

"It's just so complicated, we were close then I just had to go and do something so stupid… he was a real gentleman to me, why was I such an idiot?" Belle muttered and covered her face with her hands.

"What happened Belle?" Lettie demanded and Belle sighed. Self-consciously she told Lettie what had happened, sparing few details and eventually settling back into a desolate heap on the table. She told her about her dancing, about August's proposal and finally, about the night that still haunted her, the moment when she realised she'd lost _him. _When she had told all, head buried in misery upon the table, Belle felt a gentle hand sooth the hair atop her head and looked up to see Lettie smiling down at her.

"I think this is all going to be just fine." Lettie said softly and Belle stared at her in shock.

"How can you say that? He sent me away, he couldn't even look at me!" Belle said and Lettie laughed. As Belle watched the woman wiped her eyes with the corner of her sleeve, her cackles resounding through the house.

"That Belle, is because he didn't know where to look. I do believe the man holds his own little flame for you… if he's half the gentlemen you say he is then I can well imagine the sight of you, half naked, sent him a little crazy." Lettie said and Belle scoffed. It was ridiculous to say that Gold could ever find her attractive but it could be plausible that her state of dress had offended his sense of chivalry. He had after all, called her a child numerous times in the past. He certainly couldn't do that now he'd seen her in nothing but a corset and fancy knickers. The thought made her giggle on the inside.

"Alright, so propriety demanded he look away, what about him sending me away?" Belle demanded and Lettie shook her head.

"I can't possibly know that Belle but if he does care for you perhaps by sending you away he doesn't have to worry about hurting you." She muttered and Belle frowned.

"Hurt me?" She asked and Lettie nodded.

"From what you've told me, he sounds quite neurotic. One moment he's polite the next he's borderline psychotic. That kind of mental instability can make him dangerous even towards you." Lettie cautioned and Belle shook her head.

"He would never hurt me, he saved my life." She said and bit her lip.

"You heard about my New Year's incident right?"

"Yes." Lettie replied simply and Belle swallowed.

"Mr Gold saved me that night. He appeared almost by magic and brought me home; he would never hurt me Lettie." Belle reasoned, blushing slightly at the memory of waking in his office and his care of her over the following days.

"He cared for me; he nursed me back to health and protected me. Now… now I think he can't even stand to be around me." Belle said sadly, twisting her fingers nervously in her lap. Lettie shook her head bemusedly and pursed her lips.

"Well, that changes everything." She murmured enigmatically and Belle stared at her curiously.

"How?" she asked and Lettie smiled.

"Are you familiar with the phrase; if you love something, let it go, if it's meant to be, it'll return to you?" Lettie asked and Belle nodded.

"Of course." She answered briskly, wondering how that had anything to do with the topic at hand. Lettie grinned broadly and stood.

"Remember Belle, you need to tell your Papa… you are going back aren't you?" She asked and Belle nodded quickly, not even a moment's hesitation. Lettie smiled.

"Then I know you and Mr Gold have nothing to worry about." She said softly and kissed Belle's cheek.

"You're leaving tomorrow right?" She asked and Belle nodded. Lettie smiled and touched her cheek.

"I'll bring more books." Lettie promised and without another word swept from the house, her enigmatic words still ringing in Belle's head.

"Belle?" A soft voice called and Belle hurried towards her Papa's room. He was wide awake and propped up with pillows against the head board.

"Hello Papa." She said and went to kiss his cheek, only to have him turn his face away from her. She frowned and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Papa what's wrong? Are you feeling ill again?" She asked and he shrugged, murmuring a noncommittal response. Perturbed Belle reached out to touch his forehead but jerked back when he flinched away from her.

"Papa?" She demanded, hurt by his actions.

"Why would you go back to him Belle?" He rasped and Belle realised he'd heard every word spoken between her and Lettie which meant…

"Oh Papa I'm…"

"What… sorry? Belle how could you let him do this? You're smarter than this. You aren't bound to return to him, he let you go, stay here where it's safe, where we can be together again." He begged and Belle felt her eyes begin to burn with unshed tears.

"Papa, it's my choice." She croaked and he laughed bitterly.

"Is it? He's got you trapped Belle, he's brainwashed you and now you can't wait to return to that god forsaken place." Maurice snapped and Belle pulled back, standing stiffly and backing away towards the door.

"No one decides my fate but me Papa. I entered the agreement, I chose to do what I did and I'm still choosing to go back." She retorted and wiped furiously at the tears now streaming down her face. He sneered and stared at the ceiling furiously. Belle struggled for breath and pressed a hand to her aching heart.

"Papa I have to go back, can't you understand I'm happy there?" She demanded and he snorted.

"Happy being his whore too I suspect." He murmured spitefully and Belle gasped. Of all the people she thought would accuse her of such behaviour the last of them was her own father.

"Papa, how could you even think that?" She demanded angrily, her tears forgotten as her rage began to tower. He gaped at her and she sneered this time.

"Goodbye Papa, you're free to get up tomorrow, and the day after too if you want. Just know that I won't be here because my time is up… I have to get back to being a good little whore." She snapped and, turning on her heel with all the dignity she could muster, stormed from the room. She picked up her bag from the floor, her shawl and navy blue cloak from their pegs and stalked to the door, throwing it wide and letting an icy blast of night air race past her into the house. Swallowing thickly she raised her chin and stepped out into the cold. During the day it had been quite warm, a sign that winter was on its way out, and Belle was dressed in nothing more than her usual day dress. It was light blue and fell to just below her ankles in order for her to move freely about whilst doing chores. On her feet was a pair of sensible brown boots. The dress itself was rather plain with a square necked bodice and thick straps. Underneath it she wore a white, long sleeved shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail with a bow of the same colour as her dress. She pulled on her cloak and tried to clear her head. She'd go down to the pub, they'd at least be open for a few more hours and then she'd have to find somewhere to stay the night. She didn't feel like going to Lettie and having to explain to her what was going on. Wiping away her tears she moved through the dark street towards the glowing light of the pub, opening its heavy door and moving into the warmth inside. It was crowded, noisy and smelt strongly of sweat and machinery. All the men returning from late night shifts by the docks and even some just about to head out for their shifts were here. They all stared at her as she entered and Belle raised her chin proudly to walk to the bar and sit down in one of the available stools. The bartender eyed her warily.

"A glass of red wine please." She asked and rubbed her chilled fingers together to drive the numbness away.

"Women's lounge is through there." He remarked and Belle shrugged.

"I didn't ask for the women's lounge, I asked for a red wine." She reminded him and the men around her now glared at her in reproach.

"This ain't a respectable establishment for a lady like you miss." The bartender said lamely and Belle rolled her eyes.

"I'm not looking for respectable. Please sir, I could really use that wine right now." She said and he nodded reluctantly. He turned away and began to fill a glass with wine. Relaxing now that she was being served the bar slowly went back to its usual banter and Belle granted the bartender a small smile as he handed her the glass. She sipped it and wrinkled her nose slightly at its cheapness.

"Thank you." She said and handed him the two bob for the drink. He collected her coinage, nodded fleetingly and melted away, leaving her to her thoughts. Morosely Belle thought back on her evening. The conversation she'd had with Lettie resurfaced. She sighed and took another sip of wine. Slowly the night faded away around her, men appeared and disappeared from the pub but never once did Belle look around at them. It was just into the early hours of the morning when Belle managed to pull herself out of her stupor to look around and notice the empty room. She was the only person still left in the bar and she stared at the old bar tender warily as he approached.

"You alright sweetheart?" He asked and Belle looked up at him with a small nod. He had white hair and thick glasses, looking more like a professor then a bartender.

"Just one of those nights I guess." Belle said mildly, deciding to downplay the misery she felt, and he nodded.

"Need another refill?" He asked and she looked down at her empty glass, shaking her head.

"No, I need to keep my head… otherwise I'll never find a place to stay." She said and he sighed.

"Evicted?" He asked and she shook her head.

"More of my own choice, I just couldn't stay. I'm not even sure I'm welcome home anyway." She replied tartly and looked at him warily.

"Why am I telling you this?" She asked and he grinned, his lined face cracking in two as he took her glass from her.

"Because sometimes it's easier to tell a stranger of your woes then it is to tell your friends." He murmured and she nodded thoughtfully.

"I could believe that." Belle said pensively and stood.

"Well I'd best be off…" She told him and the old man nodded, reaching out to touch her wrist gently.

"Just take care of yourself sweetheart. Times are tough but I'm sure they have room for a lady down at the sleeping hall if you need it." He said and Belle thanked him for his kindness. He'd kept the bar open far longer than usual and for that she was grateful. Stumbling out of the warm room Belle was thankful of her cloak and the slight buzz of wine, both of which sheltered her somewhat from the cold. Without knowing exactly where she was headed Belle moved forlornly through the streets. Her feet were soon solid blocks of ice and due to the limited light of the streetlamps Belle was moving slowly as to avoid tripping over in the dark. She stopped outside one of the sleeping halls, just to see if there was room but knew from the people sleeping in its doorway that she'd find no shelter there. Freezing and exhausted she continued on into the night, hardly knowing which way she went until…

"Hey Miss!" A voice called out to her from the dark and Belle whirled around to see a small, dimly revealed shape beckoning her from the shadows of a nearby alleyway.

"Hello?" She called and the figure stepped forward, revealed at last in the gas light as a slight, blonde girl with a sooty face and wide brown eyes. Belle frowned and peered at her curiously.

"What on earth are you doing outside at this hour?" She asked worriedly, looking around for the child's parents, and the young girl shrugged nonchalantly.

"On my way home, you don' remember me do ya Miss?" She asked and Belle frowned. Stepping closer she tried to see the girl's face which was crowded with shadows and almost indiscernible in the dark.

"No I'm sorry." She said apologetically and the girl sighed.

"You is the woman who saved us from the coppers on Broad Street, me and my brother Nick." She said and Belle had a fleeting memory of that day. Apart from being the day she'd met Robert she recalled faintly the incident of which the girl now spoke and her lips parted in a genuine smile as she walked over to where the girl stood.

"Hello again." Belle said and the blonde smiled brightly.

"Hello yourself, you look like you could use a place to stay… come with me." She said and Belle breathed a sigh of relief, tucking her bag over her shoulder and marvelling at her good luck. She followed the little blonde down the alley and across a small park. People were huddled together in shanty houses, corrugated iron shelters that seemed unstable enough to be blown away by the slightest breeze. In the middle of the park there was a bridge and it was under this that the little girl took her. Belle stumbled as they descended the embankment in the dark.

"What's your name?" Belle asked and her companion shrugged.

"Ava." She said and pointed towards a small fire in the centre of the space beneath the bridge where a group of kids, ranging in age and size, huddled.

"This is my brother Nick." She said, pointing to a vaguely familiar boy with brown hair and wide, trusting eyes. Belle waved and he smiled, instantly recognising her. Ava pointed to the three remaining children, two boys and a girl.

"That's Darcy, Liam and that's Paige, she's the eldest." She introduced and hurried over to warm herself by the fire. Belle followed her, placing her bag down by the others at the entrance of the tunnel. The bridge spanned across a shallow ditch which, thankfully, was clear of water. A line of cardboard ran across the base of one wall, covered in dirty blankets, and Belle guessed that's where she'd be sleeping tonight. To her surprise, once they were out of the wind, the temperature only became rather mild. Joyfully she neared the fire and smiled at the girl Paige who was about 16 or 17 years old. In the light of the flickering flames Belle was given a half obstructed view of a girl with long mousy hair and narrow, rather hollow features. Pretty yet somewhat unusual in appearance, her brown eyes were several sizes too big for her face and seemed to hold more sorrow then Belle could bare to look at. The two boys were sooty and covered in mud, their hair colour impossible to distinguish and their teeth shining rather brightly in the dimness of the tunnel. All three eyed her distrustfully so Belle grinned at them comfortingly and held out her hands towards the flickering flames.

"I'm Belle." She told them and Paige's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are you going to blab on us?" She asked and Ava scowled.

"Naw Paige, I told ya about Belle, she's the woman that got us off that day on Broad, told the coppers to nick off and everythin'." Ava said as she wrapped a protective arm around her brother, who nodded fiercely in agreement with his sister. One of the boys, either Liam or Darcy, spoke; Belle wasn't sure.

"So she's staying?" They asked and Ava nodded. Belle licked her lips.

"Only for tonight, if that's alright by you?" She asked and Paige mused over this for a few moments, obviously the leader of this little group of ruffians.

"Very well, you can stay tonight Belle." She said and held out her hand. Belle took it gratefully and the group settled down to enjoy the fire. Nick came over and sat down beside her.

"You're really pretty." He said and Belle giggled. Ruffling his hair she drew him close to her side.

"Why thank you Nick." She said and he blushed. Ava punched her brother on the arm and the two boys sniggered over at him. Paige just rolled her eyes and poked morosely at the burning timbre with a stick. Belle yawned and stretched.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm exhausted." She said and Ava nodded.

"We've an early start tomorrow, let's go." She said briskly and between herself and Paige managed to convince the boys to go to bed. The two girls seemed to be the main instigators of action in the group but Belle noticed that Paige kept mostly to herself and that the siblings seemed to stand apart from the others, always no more than a few feet from one another at any given time. As it so happened, Belle had been right to assume that the cardboard sheets were sleeping mats. All five children stamped over to them and settled beneath the covers, Ava calling out to her to squeeze in between her and Paige. Belle tramped over and moved to lay down beside the young girls, glad to at least have something resembling a roof over her head. The chill of the ground was broken by the thinning cardboard and thanks to the natural insulation of their location, the thin blankets provided a little extra warmth. When everyone was settled Ava blew out the few wavering candles and the tunnel was plunged into darkness, broken only by the dying embers of the fire at their feet. For a few minutes Belle was cold, then the bodies beside her began to work their magic and her body lost its numbness.

"How old are you?" A soft voice asked in the dark and Belle's eyes flew open as she realised it was Paige who had spoken.

"I'm 19 tomorrow." Belle murmured and the girl shifted slightly.

"Happy Birthday."

"Thanks." There was a thick silence and Belle was almost asleep when Paige spoke again.

"Why did you do it?" Belle rolled on her side to face Paige and saw her bright eyes glowing like coals in the dim light.

"Do what?" Belle asked and Paige sighed.

"Cover for them, Ava and Nicholas? No one sticks up for kids these days." She said bitterly and Belle smiled through the darkness.

"Because the way I see it, if you do the brave thing, bravery follows." She told the younger girl and Paige's eye flickered.

"Why are you all out here?" Belle asked and felt as Ava shifted drowsily beside her, moaning something unintelligible in her sleep.

"We've all got nowhere else to go. It's better to stick together, otherwise you get into trouble." Paige answered simply. Belle heart clenched, Nick and Ava could be no more than 10 or so, Paige herself was barely an adult, surely they must have someone.

"Surely…"

"I have parents… somewhere. Ava and Nick's Dad is out there trying to get enough money for them but Darcy and Liam are orphans." Paige said and Belle frowned.

"Where are they? Your parents I mean." She asked and felt the young girl shrug.

"I don't know, when I was left at the orphanage all I had on me was a name tag and my locket, I think the people inside are my parents." She said and Belle held out her hand to take the shimmering chain from her. In the faint light she could make out the profile of a young woman and a man. Under each were the initials A.F and J.H. Belle handed it back to her and smiled.

"Do you want to find them?" She asked and Paige's tone became wistful.

"More than anything, I was told that they didn't want me but if that's so why would they leave me this… I just want to know who they are." She said and Belle reached out to grasp her hand tightly.

"You'll find them Paige, I know it." She breathed and the girl nodded. They collapsed into silence and soon after fell into a deep, untroubled sleep for what both were sure was a first in a long time.

_OoOoOoO_

Robert sighed and ran a hand tiredly through his hair. Throwing his pen down onto the table in disgust he realised that he was not going to get anything else done. It was official, after four days of not seeing her, life sucked. He couldn't remember a time when he'd felt this despondent, so dependent on another's presence for his own happiness. Not since Bae. His gaze fell on the tea cup on its saucer, the slight chip in its rim making a small smile appear on his face. Tea for the last four days had been awful but rituals were harder to break then it would seem. To be completely honest he didn't know why he used it, there were other cups, nicer cups, but this one was his and Belle's. It was their cup. Shaking his head he stood and moved to his wheel, sitting down before it and trying to forget her. It was useless.

"Mr Gold!" A familiar voice called out and he groaned, covering his face with a hand.

"Yes Miss Lucas." He answered irreverently and the door was just about kicked in by the willowy brunette. He didn't even spare her a look as she walked in, keeping his gaze firmly fixed upon the motionless wheel before him.

"We need to talk." Ruby Lucas announced and Robert turned lazily to stare at her indulgently.

"That's coming out of your pay." He said, ignoring her tone and indicating towards the abused portal she'd just stormed through. The pretty brown haired girl rolled her eyes and glowered at him murderously.

"What pay? Gold you've been sulking in here all week… you need to get out." She said and he snorted.

"Oh and suddenly you care about my health, how very touching Miss Lucas." He retorted scathingly but the girl didn't even flinch.

"I don't but unless you haven't noticed we've got a party to organise. You've given us two days to organise this bloody thing and as far as I know you haven't lifted a single finger to help. Get your lazy, two-timing Scottish ass out of this office and make something useful of yourself." She ordered, her brown eyes blazing with fury. He chuckled and stood, dusting of his impeccable suit before walking over to his desk and leafing through the paperwork on its surface until he found what he'd been searching for. It was the gold-lettered invitation he'd sent out.

"Is it the 5th already?" He murmured and she nodded. Robert smirked and crunched the invitation in his fist. Ruby scowled at him and folded her arms over her chest.

"Have you got her a present yet?" She asked and he looked at her suspiciously.

"Who?" He asked, causing Ruby to roll her eyes irritably.

"The Queen Mother, who else?" She demanded bitterly before she walked across the room to lean over him threateningly.

"Seriously Gold, bit of a coincidence that this 'Mid-Winter' Ball is happening on Belle's birthday… did you think we wouldn't notice?" She asked and to his surprise her tone had softened a little. He shifted awkwardly on his buggered leg and moved over to the window, if only to avoid her question.

"I let her go remember, this has nothing to do with Belle." He said softly but Ruby frowned, moving to stare out at the river beside him.

"You let her go… aren't you worried she won't come back?" She asked and he shrugged, a melancholy smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh no, I suspect I'll never see her again… would you come back here if you were in her position?" Robert demanded tersely and Ruby turned to look at him, her gaze burning into the side of his face as he stubbornly refused to meet her eyes.

"Alright, worst case scenario she doesn't come back. Best case scenario she does. Granny always says to prepare for the best and expect for the worst… go and buy her something and if she doesn't come back then she doesn't come back, no harm no foul." Ruby told him and he sighed.

"Surely it beats sitting in here and moping about it." Ruby observed and he glowered. Ignoring her quip he moved towards the door and paused to look back at her. She was smiling at him, her arms still folded across her chest. He opened his mouth and she waved him off.

"Go, we've got it covered." She said exasperatedly and he nodded, snapping his mouth closed and exiting the room. Downstairs was chaos, people moving around and shouting at one another in order to prepare the club room for the night's entertainment. Gingerly he skirted the main thoroughfare and made it to the door without anyone accosting him. He let his feet guide him. Without knowing exactly where he was going Robert moved through the streets with ease, ignoring those around him as he went about trying to find Belle's present. He didn't know why he was doing this, the chances of him getting the chance to give it to her were slimming every day. A glimmer caught his eye and he stopped. A slight smile crossed his face as he saw the perfect gift; the one thing he knew would make his Belle happy. He walked into the store and approached the counter, rapping his fingers across the glass surface impatiently as the owner leisurely finished business with another customer. The smiling man approached and Gold indicated towards the object in the window.

"How much?" He asked and the man rubbed his hands together.

"A fine choice sir, price has yet to be arranged." He answered smoothly and Robert smiled. He could always appreciate a good sales pitch, no matter how oily the giver. Leaning more on the cane he looked over at his prize.

"What can you tell me about it?" He asked and the owner rubbed at his neck thoughtfully.

"It was imported directly from Japan and it's about as rare as these things come, only a few are available in the world… it's also rumoured to be the oldest of its kind, a very fine choice if I do say so myself." The short man murmured and went to remove the object carefully from the display. He wore a pair of white felt gloves and indicated for Robert to pick it up after seeing his own leather ones. Carefully Robert inspected his prize. Turning it over he noticed it was heavier then it appeared, there were no faults from what he could see and it was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Cautiously he placed it back down and looked at the owner thoughtfully.

"I will give you whatever price you name." He said and smiled when the man's face went slack with amazement. He muttered a rather lofty figure and Robert nodded, forking into his pocket and pulling out a cheque book. He wrote the figure down and handed the cheque to the man who read it. The man's eyes widened at the name at the bottom and he stared at Robert in shock and a little bit of terror. Smirking broadly Robert cleared his throat and notched his head in the direction of his purchase.

"I was wondering if I could have it wrapped, it's a gift." He said and the man nodded.

"Of course Mr Gold." He muttered and hurried off to do as he'd been bid. When he disappeared from sigh Robert let a genuine smile slink onto his face. Moments later the man returned and handed Robert the carefully wrapped package which he placed under his arm as he turned on his heel to stalk out of the store. Now with his quest completed Gold had only a few hours of boredom to kill before the fireworks proverbially started. Tonight he would have to put up with the duxes and silver-coats of Manhattan, the crème-de-le-crème of society who with their simpering nunces and fake sympathies rubbed his shoulder on all sides in hopes of gaining his attentions. It was a necessary evil, a way of reminding everyone who really owned New York these days. He walked on through the streets eager to be back in his office when he caught a glimpse of russet. It made him stop dead in his tracks and immediately he moved into the doorway of the nearest store to avoid being seen. Feeling entirely like a naughty school boy Robert watched as Belle walked confidently down the street surrounded, to his great surprise, by a mob of children. They were filthy, all six of them, and the eldest was possibly on just younger then Belle herself. She was dressed in a light blue dressed he'd never seen on her before, the blue matched the azure of her eyes and he felt his breath quicken as she walked right past his hiding spot without even noticing.

"Happy Birthday Belle." A young brown haired boy announced, causing Belle to blush and hushed them quickly. They were all smiling and laughing, looking for all intents and purposes like a group of riff-raff patrolling the streets. Having nothing better to do he followed them, making sure to keep at least 10 or so paces behind them at any given time. Belle began to skip slightly, her steps becoming distinctly lighter as the group moved up the street. A woman gasped in outrage as Belle stepped up onto the wall of a street garden, balancing delicately on its edge and her skirt flaring as she pirouetted gracefully for the group of youngsters. Robert couldn't help but smile at her obvious happiness, completely free of doubts with no care for what people thought. Immediately the two youngest children, a boy and girl of about ten, moved to copy her resulting in the boy almost breaking a bone when he fell off the bloody wall. His Belle simply laughed it off and hoisted him onto her shoulders.

"An odd one for sure, I remember when the de Boires had more decorum then that." A woman in a fur coat whispered nastily to her neighbour who nodded smugly.

"Oh yes, Lucinda would have died to see her daughter playing mother to that rabble… always more the father that girl, much too strange." She agreed.

"No question. Poverty does that to people… did you hear about Margret's little boy?" The two women moved off out of earshot before Robert's temper exploded. He gritted his teeth. Sour old biddies. What did they know about anything? He moved off after Belle watching as she wound her way towards the Palace. When they arrived she pulled the boy off her shoulders and hugged him gently. The blonde girl shook hands with her, stubbornly refusing to be hugged which made his Belle giggle and salute her playfully. The older girl simply smiled as Belle whispered something to her, nodding when the girl asked her a question. With her back turned to him Belle waved goodbye to the group, waving until all of them had faded from sight. He walked up behind her now that the coast was clear but she turned around suddenly, her eyes meeting his, as a slow smile stretched across her lips.

"Robert!" She said, taking a step towards him, only to pull up short. Her arms swung back and forth awkwardly as they faced each other tensely. Seeing her before him, after days of regretful solitude, Robert was reminded of just how beautiful Belle de Boire was. He swallowed and smiled at her shakily.

"Belle dearie, I do believe it's your birthday today." He murmured and she nodded, her hands gripping the handle of her bag he now realised she was holding in her hand. She'd come back! The thought made him inwardly jump for joy and the Dark One was all but performing a mental jig at the back of his mind.

"Yes." She said and he looked away.

"Many happy returns." He muttered and she nodded, moving closer to take his arm boldly. He looked down at the touching limbs and saw a neatly plaited bracelet encircling Belle's wrist.

"What is that dearie?" He asked curiously and she looked down at it distractedly.

"Oh, this? It's a bracelet I made…" She said faintly and he inspected it closely. He relaxed, smiling down at her and indicating towards the doors. They entered the atrium and Belle's eyes widened.

"I leave the place with you for one week and it all goes to hell." She remarked sardonically and Robert couldn't help but chuckle. Their argument, his stupidity, was all but forgotten as they stepped into the room of caterers. She gazed around at the flurry of men and women in wonder.

"It's for the ball dearie." He murmured, leaning down to whisper in her ear. Although her hair was tangled and her clothes obviously slept in, Robert felt that he'd never seen her look as beautiful. It was official, he was falling for her…

"Ball?" She asked and he nodded.

"Your ball Belle, to celebrate your birthday." He said quietly and she stared at him in shock.

"For me?" She asked and he nodded, tugging her to the kitchen with a small smile. She was still gaping at him when they entered and had mere seconds to prepare herself before a solid wall of squealing women launched themselves at her. Glaring at him over their shoulders, Belle managed to greet her three friends. Ruby of course was demanding answers to questions Robert should have asked.

"What the hell happened to you?" The brunette asked, lifting a curl of Belle's hair and staring into her face waspishly. Belle simply waved her away.

"I slept rough last night, Papa and I had a disagreement." She said and her tone made it clear that this was all anyone would get on the subject.

"Alright. I assume you've seen the circus out there?" Ruby demanded and Belle nodded exasperatedly.

"If I find myself cleaning that up tomorrow Ruby Lucas assure yourself that swift justice will be following your size 10 butt all the way the Sydney." She threatened, earning a few sniggers from Ashley and Mary Margret.

"So you came back?" Mary Margret said and Belle nodded.

"Why?" Ashley asked and Belle frowned at them, eying him over their shoulders. He shrugged and flourished his hand for her to go on. Inwardly he was dying to know, why had she come back? Belle smiled and hopped off her chair.

"Well…" She murmured softly, moving backwards passed her three interrogators towards the staircase, grabbing his arm as she went.

"I suppose I could tell you but…" She paused and ushered him surrepticiously upwards. Biting his tongue he moved awkwardly up the narrow stairs, cursing his knee violently. A moment later Belle appeared, running swiftly past him to hold the door open. He limped through it and she collapsed against it, her eyes alight with pure amusement.

"Consider that payback." She informed him proudly and waltzed off down the corridor, her blue skirts swirling as she went. He coughed.

"Belle!" He called after her and she paused, her back still turned to him.

"Will there be dancing at this ball?" She asked and he stuttered, losing his train for thought. She turned and her eyes were clouded with worry. Belle's fingers were playing at her shirt as she stared at him.

"Just the usual kind, a waltz here and fox trot there." He muttered and she nodded, looking a little relieved.

"Alright good because I just wanted to say that I'm truly sorry for… you know." She said and the misery in her voice touched him. Knowing that now would be the ultimate time to tease he opened his mouth to do just that.

"It's alright Belle." He informed her, limping forward to stand before her. Her head snapped up and her eyes flew wide as she looked at him, obviously expecting the teasing to commence. He smiled and tapped her on the nose playfully.

"Oh I'm sure it was fun at the time dearie but let's try and be a little more civilised tonight hm?" He murmured and her mouth twisted into a mock-offended smirk.

"Only if your very good… dearie." She said softly, bring her face closer to his then he'd expected. For a moment their breathing as in sync, their mouths mere inches away. As her sapphire orbs peered into his Robert found his mouth going dry and the overwhelming urge to kiss her rose like a cork shot from a bottle. She herself looked a little flushed, her lips had parted slightly and the moment passed as Robert's knee gave a sudden twinge. Evidently the stairs had been more of a pain than he'd thoughts and he hissed slightly at the pain. They stepped hastily back from one another and Belle moved to straighten her hair.

"We're good?" She asked and he nodded. So much loaded into two little words, could they really just be 'good' like that? Yes, yes they most certainly could. She smiled at him then, a true smile that lit up her face like New Year fireworks.

"In that case Robert, I'll see you at the ball tonight… you will save me a dance won't you?" She asked and he nodded, dumbstruck. She sighed and turned away, disappearing through the elevator doors a moment later. Alone in the corridor Robert stood in silence. Then the overwhelming urge to sing overcame him and he settled instead for grinning like an idiot and almost dancing to the door of his office. When he reached his desk he realised with a jolt that he was still carrying Belle's present. Smiling he placed it on the table and stared at it.

_She came back. _The Dark One said and for once his voice was not the personification of sarcasm. He sounded shocked and awed. Robert honestly couldn't blame him. Sitting down in his chair he tried to make sense of the situation. Belle had come back, Belle had slept rough the night before, BELLE WAS BACK.

_Alright, alright no need to shout… I'm right here you know?_

"Oh I'm so sorry." Robert remarked dryly and his other personality sniggered.

_She came back, why?_

"How the hell would I know?" Robert demanded and the voice literally shrugged in reply. Burying his face in his hands Robert wondered if it were possible to be both blessed and cursed at the same time.

OoOoOoO

"Calico!" Belle shouted as the robin flittered joyously from his perch on the mirror to land on her shoulder, displaying his newly healed wing proudly. She pressed a kiss to his head and moved to begin unpacking her bag by throwing it on the bed… only to pause at the last moment when the bundle atop the covers caught her eye. She paused and the bag fell to the floorboards with a dull thud. Belle's mouth went dry as she tried to think clearly, her eyes locked on the glittering golden dress laid out splendidly upon her blue cover. On top was a pair of gilded slippers and elbow length gloves, perfectly matched to the flawless gown they perched upon. Tentatively she reached out and touched the dress, her breath leaving her in a short gasp when it's beautiful silken texture met her calloused fingertips. Calico chirped and hopped down from her shoulder to peck at a small note pinned to the bodice of the gown. Belle frowned curiously and picked it up, her eyes widening as a familiar curling hand met her gaze. She smiled and sat down at her desk, reading and then re-reading the letter as she looked between it and the dress.

_Belle-of-mine_

_Please consider this an apology for my behaviour towards you. If you decide to come back, which I highly doubt you will, please know that I hope we will regain that which was once so dear to us. _

_God this sounds stupid…_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Robert._

_PS_

_Burn this please._

Grinning like an idiot Belle got up from the chair and twirled giddily in the centre of her room, thrilled beyond measure that a) he wanted her back b) he wanted her back and c) he wanted her back. The letter was just so him, straightforward and formal but with a touch of sentiment.

"Belle-of-mine?" She murmured, looking at the name and flushing with pleasure. She couldn't recall when he'd begun using the name but Belle knew now that she never wanted him to stop. She thought about following his request and even went so far as to pull out her box of matches, but at the last moment she stopped. Folding the envelope carefully she hid it inside the underside of her pillow, smoothing it so no one could tell. She frowned when she looked at her osiria roses, which were now mournfully drooped and wilted. She took them from their vase and laid them out on the table. She'd ask Granny how best it was to press them; hopefully some remnants of their beautiful colouring would remain. Humming to herself she stripped out of her soiled dress and began to wash, taking extra time to reach every spot she could… tonight would be perfect and beautiful. She jumped when the trapdoor was thrown open and Ruby stuck her head through it uninvited. She smirked as Belle dived behind her chair, her hands flying to cover her most intimate areas, namely her breasts and pubic area.

"Well that was unexpected." The brunette said and smiled softly as Belle sighed. Hurriedly the other girl climbed into the room and closed the trapdoor. Her quick eyes scanned the room and her mouth fell open as her gaze fell on the dress.

"Holy crap Belle!" she said and Belle nodded.

"Who gave you that?" She demanded and moved forward to touch the glistening fabric reverently. Belle giggled and tried to act as dignified as she could whilst standing there completely naked. No one else had ever seen her naked apart from her parents and although she'd been nearly naked, being entirely all-la-natural was a new and rather bizarre feeling.

"Mr Gold." She said softly and Ruby whirled at her with a perfectly shocked expression on her face.

"You shitting me?" She demanded and Belle shook her head.

"Mr Gold, gave you this?" She asked and Belle nodded happily.

"I think he loves you Belle." Ruby said seriously and Belle shook her head in bemusement, dismissing her friend's words with only a slight twinge of hopefulness.

"Don't be silly Ruby, he's just being nice." She said and Ruby shook her head.

"Nice is getting you a plain white thing that'll match your shawl, this is serious expenditure Belle… if he doesn't love you then he might be trying to get into your pants." She muttered and Belle felt her mouth fall open in outrage.

"He'd never try and take advantage of me… unless I wanted him to, which I don't." She said quickly, a little too quickly. Ruby's head snapped up and she smirked at Belle triumphantly.

"I knew it." She said and Belle frowned.

"Knew what?" She retorted as her friend's grin broadened.

"You two are such idiots." Ruby murmured and returned her gaze toward the dress.

"Well, considering that this now answers the reason I came up here, I should probably let you get ready." She said and Belle frowned.

"What were you going to ask?" She asked and Ruby sniggered.

"If you needed to go shopping for a dress, obviously you don't though." She said and Belle smiled. Ruby reached out and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so glad you came back Belle, it was horrid without you." She said and Belle smiled.

"I couldn't stay away Rubes, this place is my home now." Belle replied. Ruby smiled and moved to the trapdoor.

"When you're ready, come down and we'll organise your makeup and hair… you can show off that dress and make us all look like clowns." Ruby teased and hurriedly disappeared through the door before Belle could reply. Belle huffed in frustration at her quick departure and sat down on the bed. It faded however when she glanced at her wrist and the familiar plaited cord confirmed the fact that she was finally home. All in all, it was turning out to be one of the best birthdays yet.

**Booya baby, next chapter is going to be sweeet. I know I said there would a party in this one but I realised that if I left this one where it was you'd all hunt me down for doing yet another cliffy on you so… please review and let me know what you thoughts, did you guys like my introduction of Ava and Nick, they'll be back. Love to all dearies. **


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

**Alright I'll make this quick, this chapter is going to be fun, I already sense the ending will be a cliffy of sorts but I think you'll all be quite pleased with the way it's all panned out… some of you even yelling 'FINALLY, THANK YOU!' anyway, enjoy. **

"Are we done here?" Belle demanded, tugging her face away from Mary Margret's grip to try and peer at the mirror on the common room's wall. Ruby on the other hand, had other plans. Yanking Belle's face back she began turning it every which way to make sure her flawless make up job was indeed perfect. Belle grumbled, frustrated beyond the point of sanity by their endless fussing. The moment she'd stepped into the room with her dress the three girls had descended on her like bees to a flower, Ashley immediately working on Belle's stubborn curls as Mary Margret attacked her face with enough makeup supplies to cover a circus troupe. Ashley raised a bottle of perfume and Belle edged away, wary.

"Oh come on, it's actually really nice… rose I think." She said and Belle cautiously let her spray the stuff. Belle finally batted their hands away, her nose tingling with all the unfamiliar scents.

"If you don't mind, I have an itchy nose." She muttered and reached up to relieve the god awful feeling, only to have her hand slapped away by a furious-looking Ruby.

"Keep those mits of the merchandise sister." Mary Margret snapped, flicking a stray strand of sable hair out of her eyes and causing Belle to roll her eyes bemusedly. The dancer was dressed in a fetching green ensemble, a low backed glittering gown that slinked to her feet and rustled when she walked. It was a sequinned halter-necked gown of dark blue beading and green satin, sticking to Mary Margret's body like a glove and baring one leg in a mid-thigh length split. Her hair was piled back in a bun, with only a few tendrils loose to hang about her face and give the rounder features a little definition. She looked gorgeous, every bit the dryad with the gilded leaves that served as a crown about her brow. Finishing touches were made and finally Belle was allowed to look at herself. After an hour of preparation Belle was ready to see a train wreck. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and peered at her reflection in the gilded mirror hanging on the wall. Stunned she touched her hair and dress, trying to convince herself that the girl in the mirror was her and not some doppelganger. The dress was gorgeous, with a low slung off the shoulder neckline that bared her shoulders and back before clinging like a second skin to her torso and waist. At her hips it flared out dramatically, full skirts reaching down to the floor in a golden waterfall of silken ruffles. Intricate beading along the skirt made it appear that the dress was covered in delicate vines that swirled up and over the surface of the dress to loop around the bodice in beautiful circles. Her arms were momentarily bare of gloves, which were of a matching rich gold as the dress and stretched up her limbs to just above her elbows. With her arms bare the plain woollen bracelet stood out on her wrist like a lighthouse on a coastline. Ruby had demanded its removal but Belle wouldn't hear of it, no matter how infantile it seemed she was going to wear the bracelet. Eventually a compromise was reached, she could wear it under her gloves. Her concealed feet harboured a beautiful pair of slippers that whispered rather than clicked against the hardwood floor. Belle touched her hair, just to make sure that the russet curls she usually fought so hard against were the same as those she saw in the mirror. They had been tamed, drawn back in a half-up-half-down style with a thick bunch twisted into a delicate twist on the top of her head. The glittering diamonds she wore seemed to only detract from the outfit, a glitter of silver in an otherwise golden domain. Seeing Belle furrowed expression Ruby stepped forward and began to unclasp the necklace.

"Take it off." Ruby said and Belle frowned, reaching back to still her friend's hand.

"I don't…"

"Just do it Belle, it's only for one night." Ash said softly and Belle shook her head.

"I promised." She said simply and the other girls sighed.

"It just doesn't match." Ruby murmured, confirming what Belle had just been thinking. Looking back at the mirror Belle grimaced. Mary Margret was a genius, her make-up was superb. She turned to Ruby and smiled. Her friend had decided that tonight, being the night of the full moon, was an invitation for lupine delight. Her gown was black, a three quarter length gown that shifted and swirled about her ankles to reveal staggeringly high heels. The collar was almost demure by Ruby's standards. It was an off the shoulder neckline, completely sleeveless, but with more of a dip towards the centre of her bosom, creating an almost heart-shaped bodice. Underneath she wore of crisp white shirt that buttoned in the mandarin style and billowed languidly to her wrists. A red sash was tied around her waist, the ends dangling down the skirt. Upon her head were a pair of ears and her gloveless hands had been transformed into breathtaking paws, the nails sharpened to red tipped points. Belle felt better when Ashley's costume took on a more traditional look, like hers had. It was a pretty sky blue gown, bordered in silver and folding in delicate pleats to her feet. It had short, puffed sleeves, a tight bodice that pushed her ample bosom upwards and when she lifted the hem se revealed a pair of slippers so delicate they appeared almost see through. Ash had decided to go as Cinderella. Finally ready to head down Belle moved away from the mirror and smiled as Ruby handed her a spare mask from the dozens in the costume cupboard.

"Ready?" She asked and the four nodded excitedly, carefully slipping their masks into place and filing cautiously down the staircase to the hidden door. Belle's mouth fell open as they stepped into the room. There was nothing at all familiar about the club room, all its recognisable features had been cleared away or altered to suit the winter wonderland theme of the party. Robert had gone to some lengths in order to make it seem a midwinter ball; all the walls were covered in floor-to-ceiling white drapes, there were dozens of ice sculptures scattered around the edges of the room and the glittering costumes of the guests shone brightly under the flickering glow of an enormous crystal chandelier, poised as the centre ice in the centre of the ceiling. It looked as though a thousand candles had been covered in ice and entwined in an intricate wiring of silver. The bar was closed, instead a champagne fountain stood in one corner, towering over everyone's heads by at least a full two feet. It was a literal winter wonderland and belle was stunned into silence, unable to tear her eyes away from the beautiful sight. Ruby saw her stunned expression and laughed, punching the startled brunette on the arm.

"Come on, let's go dance." She called and without another word Belle was tugged into the centre of writhing, glittering people.

_OoOoOoO_

"My, my Mr Gold, this is quite the party." A smooth, velvety voice called from behind him and Robert rolled his eyes irritably as he turned around. Melting out of the crowd and walked sedately towards him on towering black stilettoes was Regina Mills. Wrapped up tightly in a rich violet gown that caressed her plentiful curves Regina was a vision of feminine confidence as she walked jauntily towards him. Every inch of her costume screamed fem-fatale. When she finally stood before him, Robert leaned both hands upon his cane and glared down at her beautiful face with a sneer of contempt.

"And just how did you get in here?" He demanded angrily and she waved an invitation under his nose, smirking at him in obvious amusement when he confirmed its legitimacy. Robert swore under his breath then smiled thinly, offering his arm to Regina who took it with a soft smile. The pair began to walk around the room, ignoring the stares that followed them.

"No mask Gold?" She asked after a moment, holding up the purple, hand-held Venetian in her right hand. He sniggered and threw a disdainful glance around the room.

"Aren't we both wearing enough masks Regina?" He quipped and she laughed delightedly.

"Well put Robert, well put." She mused and tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Why the ball now Gold? Bit late for midwinter don't you think?" She asked, eying the glittering chandelier with a critical gaze. Instead of answering her, Robert felt his breath leave him in a sudden rush. All this powers of thought or speech left him and a soft smile broke across his face as his gaze drifted to land upon Belle. Despite the glittering golden dress she wore and the demi-mask of creamy satin that covered the top half of her face he could recognise her from the familiar curl of her bright red lips and the glow of her sapphire eyes. She was drawing much attention from nearby patrons, her honest pleasure in the evening making her glow under the light of the chandelier overhead. She laughed as her dance partner, a young man with handsome features, twirled her expertly in time to the music. Robert felt his teeth grind slightly in irritation; knowing he himself would be unable to give her that same joy, lame as he was. He tried not to begrudge her the evening, it was after all her birthday and she should enjoy it. Regina followed his gaze and a wicked smile leeched across her bright red lips.

"What a lovely young couple." She said and followed Belle with her predatory glare. Robert nodded, trying to pretend the sight was a little disgusting to him and only succeeding in glaring daggers into the back of the young man's head.

"Indeed." He muttered and Regina smiled.

"She's one of your girls isn't she? What's her name again? Madeline? Janet?"

"Belle." He breathed and she clucked.

"Of course, Belle… French for beauty of course." She said and tilted her head to watch as Belle was dipped slightly. Even beneath the demi-mask Robert could see her cheeks were painted a bright, flustered pink.

"They seem rather familiar with each other." He mused, cursing himself when he realised he'd spoken aloud. Regina grinned wickedly.

"Of course, you wouldn't recognise him. That's Belle's fiancé, Gaston March." She said and Robert felt as though his stomach had suddenly taken a rather solid blow. Swallowing the hurt he watched now as every caress, every movement and every look the young couple gave one another became vastly more intimate then before. The simple dance became far more than a birthday waltz. Gaston's hand on Belle's hip suddenly became a possessive embrace.

"I was unaware she had a fiancé." He informed Regina and the woman pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"I only became aware of it when the young man became my employee." She said mildly and picked nonchalantly at a piece of lint on her plum coloured sleeve. He waited for her to go on, impatient but willing to wait it out if it meant he learnt more about this fop Gaston. Another glance towards the couple revealed Belle taking small sips of champagne from a glass offered to her by the boy. She was speaking softly to him, her mask now removed for better to gaze around. She seemed to be looking for something, or someone. He didn't even try to fool himself into thinking it was him, evidently that ship had sailed. Raw jealously pounded through his veins and he began to walk once more around the room, Regina still on his arm.

"Alright so this party is not for mid-winter but, and forgive me for prying, it is just in time for a birthday." She murmured in his ear and Robert stiffened abruptly. He glared down at Regina, half tempted to throw her to the curb, and saw the triumphant flash in her eyes.

"I'm right aren't I? You care for the wretch… how very interesting." She mused, turning her gaze to study Belle avidly as the music changed, becoming a little slower. Belle's partner whispered something to her, leaning close to murmur in her ear and tuck a stray curl back into place. Belle seemed to shiver but to his surprise pushed him away slightly and shook her head.

"I can see the appeal I suppose, she's not ugly." Regina observed coolly and Robert felt his hand clench around the top of his cane. Fighting for control he fixed his gaze on Belle as she was lead through yet another dance. He could have been mistaken but for a moment their eyes met, right across the room, and he could have sworn that gaze held more electricity than a lightning bolt. Then the moment passed and she was whisked back around to the other side of the dance floor.

"Excuse me Regina." He murmured and she smiled at him.

"Enjoy your evening." He remarked dryly and she held her mask in place, peering at him flirtatiously through the holes and slinking away into the crowd.

"Why don't you run upstairs and play with your spinning wheel Robert? Try forgetting the wench, she's more trouble than it's worth." She mused as she disappeared and Robert growled. How could she know about that?

"Watch yourself Regina." He called after all but she merely shrugged.

"No offence meant of course. I'd just be wary, the most obvious of spies can be right under your nose." Robert stormed from the room, marching angrily to the elevator and throwing himself into its glittering embrace.

"Damn it!" He swore and punched the wall violently, sinking his head back against the wall with a sigh. Of course she had a fiancé, she was young and beautiful. The only problem was that she had never so much as mentioned him, not once, leading him to believe she was alone.

_Let me out Robert. _

"No." He growled and the Dark One sniggered.

_You and I both know I'm the only one who can handle this right now. Let me out. _

Tempting, so very tempting but Robert had no guarantee that by releasing the Dark One he could control it. The risk of exposure was just too high.

"You know why we can't." He murmured and his inner mind sighed.

_Then let her go, run away like you always do and watch as she dances with the fop._

"Shut up!" He screamed the door opening to admit him onto the empty third floor. He grimaced and limped heavily down the corridor to his office. Once inside he could just make out the present he'd bought her that afternoon, still sitting on the desk in its brown packaging.

_Robert, let me out._

"I can't."

_Can't or won't?_

"Does it matter? Its better this way, she deserves someone else, someone younger, better. Not a…"

_Not a monster like you? _Robert nodded, unable to answer through the lump in his throat.

_That's not what I saw in her eyes this afternoon. _

"What are you talking about?" Robert demanded, tiring rapidly of the secretive, cryptically-inclined voice inside his head.

_She wanted you to kiss her Robert, this afternoon she wanted you… _

"Shut up." Robert moaned, clutching his head and sinking into his chair despondently. His cane thudded to the floor and rolled away under the desk, it would be a bitch retrieve but right now he was too depressed to care. All he could see was Belle, his Belle, dancing in the arms of her foppish Gaston. Evidently, considering what he'd seen that evening, she was not his Belle. The thought made him chuckle bitterly.

"What do you propose we do? Dance with her?" Robert spat sarcastically, resting his chin in his hands.

_What if you could?_

"That would involve letting you out… which is not going to happen unless you promise to behave." He murmured and there was slightly promise.

_You have my word. _Robert couldn't believe it, without even the slightest fight the Dark One had given into a promise that in the past would have taken countless hours of bargaining to achieve. Suspicious Robert glowered inwardly.

"What do you get out of all this?" He asked and the Dark One smiled.

_You see Robert I, unlike you, am quite happy to admit I'm attracted to the girl… she's beautiful and, better yet, she interests me; not many people can do that these days. _Robert could not have been more stunned if the voice suddenly announced its intention to rid the world of evil and join the priesthood.

"Fine." He said and sat back further in the chair. He closed his eyes and let down the barrier between his mind and the Dark One's. A moment later his body was wracked with pain, the muscles contracting and lengthening at seemingly random moments as the change began. It felt as though his nerves were crackling, their ends being held to burning cigarettes and the heat washing its way up and around his body. He arched off the chair as he felt his conscious mind detach itself and a new shadow move in to take its place. The transition was remarkably less painful than before, the process becoming easier and easier to withstand but by no means more pleasant to undergo. As though through a fog Robert watched as he body stood up and moved without limping to the hidden elevator in the wall.

_What are you doing?_

"You've already been seen Robert and besides I was never what one could call conventional. Suits are just so overrated." The Dark One mused pensively as they walked into his room. A slow smirk spread across the creature's face as it opened the wardrobe hidden away in its unobtrusive corner.

_OoOoOoO_

"Belle, I'll get us more drinks… stay here." Gaston murmured, forcing Belle into a nearby white satin chair. She opened her mouth to argue, to say that she didn't need another drink, but he was already gone, disappearing into the crowd. He'd been like that all evening, tugging her about and making most of their decisions for the night. Although she'd been happy to see him at first, the novelty of his overbearing behaviour had worn off leaving her only annoyed whenever she stayed in his company for too long. Sighing, Belle slipped off her golden gloves and waved them around her face in order to cool off. Unfortunately they supplied little relief to her dilemma. Although the night had begun rather cool, the temperature had risen as the place livened, the atmosphere becoming unbearably humid. Resigned to the fact that she was now going to be hot for the rest of the evening belle rested her elbow on the table beside her, gazing around at the passing people with detached interest.

"So finally I have a name for you Beauty." A smug, familiar voice whispered in her ear causing the brunette to gasp and half rise from her chair in shock. She spun to see a man's playful brown eyes twinkling at her playfully from behind a rather large and garishly painted wooden mask. It covered his whole face and was coloured with bright lines of reds, yellows and browns. Feathers of radiant blue and green also fell around it, tied with beautiful glass beads to plaited cords that served as hair. All in all, the mask was frightening, a blaring mouth opened as though to swallow her whole. She peered closer, recognising the voice.

"August? You rogue." She muttered and smiled when the author whipped off the mask with a theatrical flourish. His handsome face was alive with good humour and he sat down beside her as she retook her seat.

"Shhh, I only have a few minutes, I'm not supposed to be in here… something about invitation only." He muttered with a slight shrug and she grinned.

"How exciting, let me see if I have time on my schedule." She retorted and he sniggered.

"Happy Birthday, Belle." August murmured softly and she rolled her eyes.

"Alright who told you?" She demanded and he notched his head towards the champagne fountain where a very joyful looking Ruby sat surrounded by a large group of sheep-eyed men. As Belle watched Ruby reached over and took a glass from the fountain, downing the whole thing in one shot.

"Respectable men don't commandeer information from drunk and vulnerable women." Belle teased but August merely looked pleased with himself.

"Two problems with that darling, a) I'm not respectable and b) I'd hate to see what happened to the last man who called Ruby Lucas vulnerable." He said stoically, glancing at the woman in question with a rather wonder-struck expression on his face. Belle giggled and rolled her eyes.

"Oh very well, you win this round." She relented and he grinned at her cockily. She smacked him playfully on the arm. He frowned and rubbed the spot with a mock expression of hurt o his face.

"Where've you been darling? I was starting to think our love was not going to make it." He teased and Belle sniggered slightly.

"Never August, we're better than that." She said and sighed heavily.

"I was taking care of my Papa, he was unwell so I got the week off to go and care for him." She said and August stared at her in shock.

"Boss-man let you go?" He asked incredulously and Belle frowned.

"Yes." She retorted snappily. Immediately the writer held up his hands in surrender.

"Don't shoot me Belle, I was just asking." He teased and she pursed her lips.

"Oh I almost forgot, before that fop comes back, here's your birthday present." He said and handed her an envelope. Belle kissed his cheek and opened it. A dozen or so photos fell from the letter and she scooped them up, peering through them one by one, her eyes growing wide.

"You said you wanted to travel, well I know you can't right now but one day when you get the chance maybe you can go to some of these places… I recommend them." He said and Belle smiled at him. In one he was standing on the base of a large pyramid, another he was sitting next to a spiritual guru in India, the next he held hands with what appeared to be a lemur. Belle was stunned, her heart was banging like a drum against her ribs as she flicked through photo after photo of adventures. When she looked up again, she knew her eyes were burning a little.

"Thanks August." She said and he waved her off awkwardly, uncomfortable at her sincerity.

"Read the note." He said and she did, her eyebrows rising as she read the series of questions written on the inside of the card. Rolling her eyes she glared at him playfully.

"Just when I was convinced you had a heart." She muttered, making him grin.

"Me? Nah, all wood in here." He stated, tapping the left side of his chest proudly. He stood and toasted her with his glass.

"Happy birthday again Belle, I'll be back later in the week for those answers." He said and she nodded, tucking the letter and photos inside her bodice. He paused and looked her up and down for seemingly the first time since their encounter.

"You look beautiful." He said and she blushed vividly.

"No really, you should learn to take compliments." He insisted before waving at her over his shoulder and disappearing into the crowd.

"BELLE!" A high pitched shout made many heads in her area turn and she herself looked around to see Henry, or what she assumed was Henry dressed as a pirate, running full pelt at her. She stood with a wide smile and opened her arms, enveloping the small boy to her as he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and he grinned up at her, his eye-patch causing him to squint slightly with his remaining orbit.

"Mum got an invitation, she had half a mind not to come until I told her it was your birthday party… she's over there with Graham." He said and pointed. Belle followed his finger to see the blonde Deputy and her Chief sitting at a table, talking quietly together and seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. Belle smirked and looked back down at Henry.

"Thanks for coming." She said and he hugged her tightly, burying his face into her middle again.

"Belle, it's so good to see you. I thought you weren't coming back." He said, his voice muffled into her bodice, and Belle tutted softly, raising his chin to stare into his face accusingly.

"Now what kind of faith is that Sir Henry? I expected more from my knight in shining armour." She teased and he blushed.

"I know how you can make it up to me." She murmured in a sing song voice. He stared at her and she indicated towards the dance floor, which housed far less people then before as the music slowed and meals were brought out by caterers dressed in white.

"But…" Henry protested and Belle fixed him with her best glare.

"Oh no you don't." She muttered and all but dragged him out onto the floor, where a group of six or so couples twirled in time to the waltz.

"Remember what I told you." Belle whispered and he nodded, straightening up and holding out his hand. She curtseyed and moved to accept it. His hand fell on her waist and she stopped to allow his to reach her shoulder.

"One day you'll be so tall I'll need a neck brace to talk to you." She murmured as he frowned. He grinned and slowly began to lead her in slow circles around the floor. He'd obviously been practising. His movements were surer and he was far less nervous as to where he placed his hands.

"You're doing great." Belle whispered and he flushed with pleasure.

"Mum's been helping me." He admitted and Belle looked over to see Emma standing with Graham at the very edge of the floor, watching them with a small smile of her face. She lifted her hand to wave and the couple waved back happily. Henry was literally speechless with joy and all but started crying when the song came to an end. Belle twirled gracefully and clapped the musicians along with her fellow dancers.

"Thank you Henry." She said and her partner grinned, bowing low and stumbling only a small bit.

"We'll work on that." Belle said softly and as she spoke a high, slightly unhinged giggle rent the air. Belle whirled around to see a man, his entire face covered by a very unusual mask, sitting at a table beside them. He was watching them with dark, mischievous eyes and his feet crossed at the ankles as he reclined in the chair languidly, as though he owned the place and not the feared Mr Gold. He was dressed in an unusual costume. Long poet sleeves of burnt gold silk extended to his wrists, disappearing beneath a high collared jacket of rusty red scales. Belle found herself wondering what kind of creature it was made off; snake, crocodile, some kind of reptile. The jacket fell almost like a suit to his hips and was offset by what appeared to be a pair of leather trousers. It was a costume that oozed danger and the figure himself seemed oddly familiar, casually disregarding the rules as he winked at Belle from behind the mask that concealed his features. The others at the table were evidently of a like mind, staring at the man with a mixture of disgust and fear, never daring so much as to touch him. Henry stared in open shock and Belle felt the first traces of a smile cross her lips.

"Rum?" She breathed and the man let out another giggle, this one of delight.

"Hello dearie. Long time, no see… or should I say hear?" He asked and swung his feet off the table to stand abruptly, ignoring the outraged expressions of the people around him. Belle brought a hand to her face, feeling her own mask. How could he recognise her? He moved towards them and bowed rather theatrically, sweeping his arms out to the side in a decedent bow. Her lips twisted and she curtseyed in response. Henry asked the obvious.

"Who are you?" He demanded and Rum sniggered, dark eyes twinkling from behind a mask that seemed rather monstrous. It was divided into two parts, a plain almost domino white on one side and a twisted, papier mache monstrosity on the other. Belle thought it resembled Dr Jekyll half way through his transformation into Mr Hyde. She leaned down and spoke into Henry's ear.

"This is a friend of mine Henry. As for his name, well, that's a little complicated. We have a game you see… I am to guess his name, and until then I just call him Rumplestiltzkin." She said smartly and Rum nodded, folding his arms smugly across his chest.

"Aha, and she has not guessed it yet." He murmured proudly. Henry looked between them and then smiled.

"Master Swan, may I have your permission to take the lovely lady for a dance?" Rum asked and Belle gaped at them both in astonishment. Henry seemed to consider it seriously, his young face twisting as he looked the other man over carefully.

"Yes." He said finally and Rum's eyes crinkled behind his mask. Without that slight indication, his moods would have been impossible to tell. He approached and Belle smiled at him as he held out his hand to her. Tentatively she clasped it. His hands were a mixture of rough and smooth and she noticed that with her gloves now gone, touching a man's hand with her own was almost as thrilling as a kiss. There were only a few couples on the floor now, but Belle couldn't care less as she stared up into the masked face of the man before her. He was taller than her by at least half a head, thin and wiry, like Robert but where Robert was reserved, tight-lipped and limped heavily, Rum seemed to radiate life and vitality, almost bouncing as he led her to the centre of the floor. His eyes were like burning onyx stones, glittering down at her through the unusual mask, but Belle had the distinct feeling that he was nervous. Smiling she reached to place his hand on her waist, realising he would need her to make the decision, before grasping his right hand with hers. The music started and he led her around in a neat circle.

"You certainly like to make an entrance." Belle muttered as they passed the table he'd been sitting at, its occupants watching them intently as they went. Rum let out a high pitched giggle and let go of her waist to twirl her expertly in a dizzying loop. She smiled and when he pulled her back, found the fronts of their bodies almost flush against one another. She blushed and he cackled.

"It's all about presentation dearie." Rum whispered and she shivered. His voice wrapped around her like another pair of hands and she wondered if people could hear them, she hoped not.

"I must say Belle, you scrape up rather nicely." He murmured and she smirked, allowing him to guide her backwards.

"Oh?" She questioned and he snorted.

"Indeed, just an observation." He remarked dryly.

"Just, rather nicely?" She quipped and he frowned.

"You look beautiful..." He said sincerely and she grinned sheepishly, allowing the world around them to fall away.

"Where have you been Rum? I missed you." She said and he sighed, as though her words hurt him as well as shocked him.

"Missed me? No one misses me dearie." He said and Belle frowned.

"I did, where did you go?" She demanded and once again he lapsed into silence.

"I cannot say." He told her simply and Belle felt her heart wrench in pain for him.

"Well can you at least admit that you're glad to see me?" She asked and he waggled a finger at her playfully, dipping her like Gaston had earlier but with much more care, his hands gentle on her waist as he righted her and guided her back across the floor. She shook her head.

"Admit it; you're happy I'm back?" She said and he giggled.

"I'm not unhappy." He murmured playfully and she laughed, placing her hands on his shoulders to assist him in lifting her in a short pencil lift. The song had shifted from a traditional waltz to a Venetian and Belle was grinning stupidly until she realised they were the only ones left on the floor.

"Rum, maybe we should…" She began and he cut her off with a loud giggle.

"Give them something to really stare at? I couldn't agree more." He teased and she frowned.

"I was going to say sit down but something tells me you wouldn't go for that option for anything less than a million." She grumbled, making his dark eyes twinkle.

"Nothing short of that Belle, I assure you." He said seriously and she felt her stomach flip-flop in her gut at the intensity of his gaze. Then they twinkling stopped and he sighed heavily.

"Are you ashamed to be seen with me Belle?" He asked and her heart lurched. The giddy feeling his hands around her brought deserted her as she realised her horrid mistake, of course he'd think she was ashamed, how could she had said something so stupid.

"No Rum!" she said and winced as he glared at her, still managing to keep time with a stiffened posture and angry eyes. She swallowed thickly over the rising lump in her throat and smiled up at him timidly, pressing closer and smirking when he did miss a beat.

"Wouldn't you rather be dancing with your… fiancé?" He asked morosely, casting a fleeting gaze over her shoulder. She frowned.

"My what?" She demanded, greatly confused until she saw Gaston glaring at her on the sidelines, held back by a suddenly very talkative Ruby who had her arm draped across his shoulders. Her eyes widened and she looked up at Rum with a wide smile on her face.

"Gaston is not my fiancé, he's just an old friend." She assured him, trying to hide her amusement, and saw a slight glimmer of delight return to his dark eyes, for a moment the dark orbs seemed to lighten and she could have sworn she saw a flash of familiarity in them. Then it was gone and Rum was back to his usual snobbish self.

"Oh, I see." He muttered tersely and she smiled down at their feet, liking the fact that she'd made him jealous.

"Does that bother you?" She asked innocently and he scoffed.

"Of course not." He said fiercely and she smiled.

"There are only two men in my life who matter to me; I don't count Henry as a man quite yet but when he turns eighteen I'll be sure to upgrade the paperwork." She said and a faint chuckle could be heard from beneath the mask.

"And who might they be?" He asked curiously.

"Mr Gold." She said and to her surprise felt Rum's shoulders relax slightly. She tilted her head curiously and locked it away as a question for a later time.

"Ah yes, our mutual friend Robert." He muttered and Belle stared at him in shock.

"You know Robert?" She asked and he seemed to snigger.

"Yes, we're… quite close." Rum murmured, in a tone that made Belle feel as though she were missing out on something, some inside joke she had no hope of understanding.

"How do you know him? I mean, aside from being locked up in that tower?" She asked and he shrugged.

"You could almost say that we're business partners… neither of us can do anything without the other knowing about it." Rum said and Belle frowned.

"Almost?" She queried and he chuckled, tapping her on the nose in a way that made her feel childish.

"So many questions, you don't miss anything do you Belle." He mused and sighed.

"And who else?" He repeated breathlessly and Belle bit her lip. Purposely misreading his question she cleared her throat.

"Who else what?" She asked and smiled when his grip tightened ever so much on her waist. It was a gentle warning and she smirked.

"Well… you Rum." She said honestly and the look of pure shock in his face was enough to make her release her own high pitched giggle. He dipped her abruptly and she gasped, her hands moving to grip him tightly around the neck as he grinned down at her.

"That's my giggle dearie." He murmured and she flushed, nodding dazedly as he righted her and twirled her effortlessly around the room.

"Not your Papa?" He asked and she frowned.

"I suppose so but I'm quite angry with him right now… he's been demoted." She murmured and shivered as his hand slid up her back, a gentle almost loving caress of her middle spine. She felt the imprint of his fingers through the gown, the heat of his hand melting her to the core. She was sure that if he hadn't had a firm hold on her waist her legs would have given out. Earlier Gaston's hand had tried to grip her buttocks through the silk of her skirt and Belle had been inches away from slapping him across the face and storming off. This however, was wonderfully sweet, if not a little frustrating. Strangely enough she wouldn't mind if Rum decided to touch her elsewhere. She felt confused. This morning she'd tried to kiss Robert, the memory of their tension-filled parting driving her mind into a frenzy, and now here she was, dancing a lovers waltz with a man she'd only spoken to a few time through a brick wall and for all intents and purposes was stark raving mad. Confused wasn't even beginning to cover it. Finally the song finished and they stood still, staring at each other. Then she stepped back and curtseyed, only dimly conscious of the applause that now filled the room. Rum was staring at her dazedly, as though he couldn't quite believe what was happening. He held out his hand to her and she took it, allowing him to lead her off the dance floor and into the arms of her awaiting friends who crowded her excitedly. In the chaos she lost sight of him.

"Are you alright Belle?" A worried looking Ash asked and Belle nodded, smiling like an idiot as Mary Margret handed her a glass of champagne. Ruby was now barrelling towards them, her face like thunder and a stormy Gaston in her wake. Belle pulled a face and tried to move out of their path but there was no escaping.

"Belle? What the hell was that?" Gaston demanded and Belle shrugged, taking a fortifying sip in order to disguise the fact that her anger was making her fingers shake.

"I believe they call it a Venetian Waltz." She snapped and Ash sighed.

"Who was he Belle?" She asked and Belle smiled enigmatically at her friend.

"A friend." She said with a shrug and Ruby snorted.

"He wasn't on the list, whoever he was, and now he's most certainly gone… scarpered after his little escapade with you concluded." She mused pointedly and Belle smirked.

"Oh that sounds like something he'd do." She muttered wryly.

"Seems like you have a habit of making friends with rather interesting men Belle, does Mr Gold know?" Ash asked and Belle bit her lip, worried for the first time now that Rum wasn't there to laugh the idea off.

"He said he knew Mr Gold, I suppose he could have been lying but I've met him before… here." She said and Ruby finally looked half-way convinced.

"Alright, you're okay though aren't you?" She asked and Belle giggled.

"Of course, it was just a dance." She pointed out and Mary Margret sighed.

"God it was so romantic… just the two of you." She said and Belle felt as though her masked cheeks were on fire. She didn't have long to dwell on that though because a moment later a rough hand grasped her by the upper arm and she winced as Gaston's fingers dug into the soft flesh of her bisep.

"Come Belle, let's have a chat." He said and Belle tried not to shake at the threatening tone in his voice. Instead she smiled at her friends, waving them off when Ruby's eyes narrowed in on Gaston's hand. She allowed Gaston to escort her away, tugging her arm from his grip and following him out of the room. She was hyper-aware that more than one person watched her leave. She was something of an amusement now. The thought made her smile and she was glad of the mask across her features. The atrium was deserted, everyone was seated at the party and they were the only ones left. Gaston whirled and ripped the mask from her face.

"Belle the hell wad that Belle?" He demanded and Belle drew herself up with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Really Gaston this is getting you nowhere, I am a rational human being and there's no need…"

"Answer the damned question Belle! Who the hell was he?" Gaston bellowed and Belle took a step back, running straight into the wall. Gaston leaned down and his breath was heavily laced with alcohol, making her gag somewhat as he neared. She stubbornly pushed him back.

"Gaston stop, your overreacting." She said softly and gasped when his hands came up and gripped her shoulders roughly, shaking her hard enough that the back of her head connected with the wall behind her. Stars flew before her eyes and she groaned, slumping in his arms. The movement caused his fingers to tangle in her necklace and the entire thing snapped, sending some of the diamonds skidding across the spotless tiles.

"Who was he?" Gaston bellowed and Belle shrank away, drawing her knee up defensively and catching him just below his waist line. His handsome face contorted with agony and he bent double. Not knowing what had happened, Belle took off. Clutching the remnants of her necklace and the back of her head, she stumbled under his arm and across the room, making straight for the kitchen. Whatever she'd done to incapacitate him only seemed to work for a few moments, as she neared the stairs she heard him enter the thankfully empty kitchen.

"No!" She screamed and barrelled up the staircase, tripping on her oversized skirts as she whirled forever upwards. She burst through the door and ran along the corridor, but her dress had cost her. She was tackled from behind, Gaston's arms wrapping around her middle and sending them both to the floor. Her already tender head collided with a door and she groaned.

"No please, Gaston stop!" She begged and flipped herself onto her back in order to push him away. She kicked out at him; catching him on the chest and forcing him back just as a door opened behind her. Staring up she saw Robert. He was clad as though half way through dressing, a crisp white shirt that was slightly unbuttoned, an open black vest and freshly pressed dress-pants. Not stopping to wonder why she hastily made to crawl behind him. He let her in quickly, moving to assist her gently to her feet.

"Belle…" He began but she shook her head frantically, pointing behind him. Gaston had recovered and had moved to follow her, drawing up short at the sight of Robert in his face. Belle placed a hand on Robert's shoulder, peering over at the belligerent man dazedly.

"Gaston… please leave." She murmured and watched as his face twisted in anger. He went to move forward but Robert's cane whipped up so face Belle was surprised it didn't take his head off. Instead, the whistling piece of wood stopped a mere inch from the man's nose, stock still and very dangerous.

"Sir, my employee just asked you to leave… kindly remove yourself from my property or I shall be forced to do something I'm sure we'll both regret." Robert said and Belle shivered, his voice was darkly tinged with malice and his brogue twisted the words until they all but writhed through the air. Something in his quiet manner made Gaston think twice about his response. Although a good two heads taller than Robert, something in his posture screamed danger and caused the other man to simply nod, backing away down the corridor and disappearing from sight. Only when she was sure he was gone did Belle let out the short sob she'd been struggling to control. She backed away from the door, trying to reach the fireplace, but stumbled over her beautiful skirts, falling to a bedraggled heap on the floor. A moment later her Robert was there, his arm wrapping around her middle and guiding her to the settee by the fireplace. She began to cry in earnest, the growing pain in her head combining with the shock of what had just occurred.

"I'm sorry… I don't cry, I mean… I do but this…" She stammered and looked up to see Robert cautiously easing himself down beside her. He smiled thinly at her and thrust a glass of what appeared to be scotch into her trembling hands. She frowned at him over the rim.

"Trust me dearie… it'll do you good." He murmured and she nodded, taking a ragged breath before downing the glass in one gulp. It burned and choked her, making her splutter and gag violently. Robert seemed to find it quite amusing, taking the glass form her and carefully wiping the tears on her cheeks away with the pads of his thumbs. She stilled and relaxed, leaning into his hands and closing her eyes. Seized by a sudden impulse she flung herself forward and hugged him tightly, resting her head against his chest and smiling when she heard his heartbeat flutter a little.

"Thank you." She whispered and a careful hand came up to stroke her head.

"What happened, Belle?" He demanded and she took a deep breath.

"He was drunk… I was dancing with, someone else, and he got jealous I suppose. I think he was seeing things between us that weren't there and decided to try and press the issue." She said and felt him nod. She increased her hold on him and nuzzled into his chest, trying to soothe the ache in her head.

"I hit my head, on the wall downstairs and your door… evil door." She murmured, throwing the offending portal a glare. Robert's fingers were instantly in her hair, gently removing the pins Ashley had spent ages arranging to perfection, to inspect the bump she'd received. He inspected it, running his delicate fingers over the swelling and she sighed, loving the way it felt. Her head felt so light, the thoughts connecting with her mouth so easily now.

"Belle-of-mine, does it hurt?" He asked and she smiled, shaking her head. He called her that name again, she would have to talk about that.

"Not when you touch it." She breathed instead and closed her eyes against his chest. The scotch was beginning to make her sleepy, she could feel it warming her from the stomach out.

"Mmm, sleepy." She moaned but was suddenly shaken away. She screamed and pushed back, instantly downstairs again with Gaston and simultaneously in that snow filled alley. Immediately Robert held her to him, whispering to her in Gaelic, something she couldn't understand but comforted her none the less. He repeated it over and over again, calming her until she could actually hear the words.

"_Álainn Belle, tá sé ag dul a bheith ceart go leor."_ He breathed and Belle shuddered as his breath tickled her ear, sending a pleasurable shiver down her spine.

"What does that mean?" She asked and he grinned at her wickedly.

"It means don't go to sleep or I'll have to poke you in the ribs with my cane." He teased and she rolled her eyes as she hiccupped slightly.

"It's a mouthful, couldn't you just say it in English?" She retorted and earned herself a tap on the nose for her troubles. It was exactly like Rum's tap, only this time warm honey-brown eyes stared into her own and Belle felt entirely safe.

"I couldn't find you downstairs." She said and he sighed.

"Ah, I spilt my drink… hence the need to change." He said and she nodded.

"All evening?" She asked and he rolled his eyes.

"I was preparing your present." He said sheepishly and she gasped.

"You already got me one, this dress is beautiful and you shouldn't have." She scolded, indicating to flowing golden creation she wore and he followed her movement with a look that could only be described as hungry. Then it was gone and he looked away, moving away so she could only see his face in profile. She was bereft without his presence and frowned.

"That was an apology." He said and she giggled.

"Must have been some mistake you made… what did you do?" She asked and he gaped at her in honest confusion. She chuckled and reached out to run a hand through his hair, something she realised she should have done ages ago. The silken strands were amazingly soft and she smiled when his eyelids fluttered ever so much.

"I thought we moved on from that?" She said and he shrugged.

"Henry reminded me of my obligations… it's not every day you turn 19." He said and she smiled. Robert's lips twisted in a thin smirk of his own and he eased himself up, groaning as his knee obviously pained, him.

"I'll get it Robert…" Belle said and stood, moving past him towards the desk. He waved towards the neatly wrapped parcel on its gleaming surface and she picked it up carefully. She gasped at its heaviness and turned to face him. He smiled and indicated for her to open it. Slowly she peeled back the paper and her mouth fell open as the beautiful reed-bound book landed in her hands. It was about the size of any one of her books but rather than be bound in paper or velum it was composed of thin, delicate-looking rice paper. The ink was black but thankfully scrawled inn artistically inspired English.

"The Tale of Genji?" She read aloud and gaped at him.

"There are only 4 known copies of this book printed throughout the world in English, it's rumoured to be the oldest known novel in the history of literature… where did you get it?" She demanded, hurriedly turning her attention back to the beautiful book as she walked back to sit down beside him. She couldn't believe the delicacy, the craftsmanship, every detail perfect as she viewed it from each angle.

"Do you… like it?" Robert asked tentatively and Belle now it was Belle's turn to gape at him.

"Like it? Robert this is the most amazing gift anyone's every gotten me, ever. I love it." She said simply then drew up straight.

"What's the catch?" She asked and he chuckled. Running a hand through his hair he shook his head at her and smiled.

"No catch… it's completely yours." He said and she let out a breathless sob.

"Thank you." She said and flung her arms around him again. He went rigid, as he always did, then relaxed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"You are very welcome Belle-of-mine." He said and she drew back, a thought striking her dead on.

"You still owe me a dance." She said suddenly and he eyed her warily.

"What?" He demanded and she grinned.

"I have two minutes left of my birthday, I demand I dance." She said and he shook his head.

"I don't dance." He said and she frowned.

"You promised." Belle whined and he sighed. Straightening he buttoned the remaining buttons of his shirt and vest, standing with the aid of his cane. Extending his hand to her he winked.

"Very well… what the lady wants she shall have." He mused sardonically and she laughed delightedly. Standing they walked to the centre of the room and Belle wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, alleviating a bit of their weight enough so that his leg wouldn't hurt. She saw his eyes widen and smiled, resting her head on his chest. They began to move slowly, his hands coming to rest on her hips, gently guiding her around in the smallest of circles to a soft music only the two of them could hear. In his arms Belle felt herself begin to drift. It just felt so right, he felt right. Then the mood was _almost_ shattered by the striking of midnight, the clock on his desk chiming on and on until finally… the last note died away. Frozen in place they began to breathe again. Motionless they stood in the centre of the room, his breath on her forehead, hers tickling his throat which smelled of sandalwood, flax and that musky aroma she knew to be his. He began to speak and she looked up. They were so close, their lips only an inch away. She ached to let him do it, to finally feel his lips on hers. His eyes darkened and suddenly he growled.

"Damn it." He whispered, a hand slipping up behind her neck. Without warning he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers.

**Let the hissing begin. Yes I know you probably all hate me but to be very fair this chapter is very long, very fluffy and all together quite amazing. If you don't think so please tell me, if you want to hate me for yet another bloody cliffy please make a small review at the bottom of this page. Love to all darlings and look out for the next chap, wonder what their reactions are going to be like… hm?**

**NB The words Gold spoke in Gaelic will be explained later so just bear with me :P**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

**Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow thanks you guys so much for all the reviews. So I left you guys on a bit of a cliffy but I hope this next bit is delivered as well as you all seem to think I'm capable of. Enjoy. **

Belle had always read about her first kiss. She supposed most girls dreamt about theirs, sighing whilst wishing out their windows for their Prince Charming to come and claim that sacred kiss. He would be tall, and dashing, and perfect in every way. He'd carry them off into the sunrise and that would be the end of that. Belle on the other hand had read about her first kiss, spent countless hours studying the numerous possible circumstances which would lead to hers, but most importantly she'd never dreamt about who was giving it to her. Prince Charming was all well and good but for some reason the image of a knight in shining armour never really stuck itself permanently to the inside of her brain. Instead she focused on the kiss itself, knowing exactly how it would be when she received it. It was be soft yet gentle, she would feel frightened and yet perfectly safe in the arms of the man who held her. Her whole body would be on fire, flamed by the passion of their kiss, and yet she'd never thirst for the feeling to be doused or quenched. The kiss would make her feel at both times cherished and desired, something she'd never felt or seen another feel for her. Gaston had lusted after her, she'd always known that, but the way she remembered her parents staring at each other… that was what she knew she wanted. So when Robert kissed her she was surprised when everything she'd read or imagined about kissing was proved entirely incorrect. In her stories, the lovers would always know what to do; they would show no fear and simply take what little each could give. Robert's lips on hers were, simultaneously, the greatest thing that had ever happened to her and the scariest. As he drew back a comforting warmth billowed throughout her body from her lips, spreading from the ends of her toes to the very roots of her hair. In his arms she felt safe but it was nothing like what she'd read. She had the feeling that in this moment, if the sky around them fell and the ground caved beneath their feet, Robert would still never let her go. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips pressed against hers for a second time, allowing her to feel nothing but the achingly unbearable softness of his lips. He was gentle, for sure, but gentle on the borderline of tentative, as though somehow afraid of something. His hands crept up and she felt him cradle her face, uncharacteristically tender as his lips parted slightly against hers. Without thinking she opened her own lips, pressing her mouth harder into his and sighing when a trembling hand brushed her hair away from her face. His tongue dipped out and brushed her lower lip, making her buzz faintly. Belle returned the favour innocently; no one had ever said anything about tongues. He pulled back slightly, closing his close and resting his forehead against hers in a movement that was almost more tender and intimate then the kiss they'd just shared. She opened her eyes briefly to see Robert's eyes were closed and that he was trembling, not just in his limbs, but all over. His face was a mask of pure bliss, and it made her glow to know that it had been her kiss to do that. Instantly he looked 20 years younger, as though any hardship he had ever suffered had suddenly disappeared. She frowned. She wanted to know it all, she wanted him to tell her why he was so cold to others, why he chose to pretend he didn't care about what people thought, what had made him this way. She rose up onto her tip toes and kissed him again, cursing for the first time her obvious inexperience when their teeth clicked awkwardly at the chaste contact. Embarrassed, expecting to hear him laugh at any moment, she drew back but a soft hand caught her chin and forced her to look upwards into honey brown eyes. He wasn't laughing, not even a little, instead his face was full of wonder.

"Belle…" Robert's voice was whispery soft; her name was uttered like a prayer to some goddess, making Belle's cheeks flush vividly. She couldn't meet his gaze and bit her lip nervously. A moment later he leaned in and captured her lips, biting her bottom lip ever so gently. She wrapped her hands tighter around his neck, moving by some unspoken instinct, and pressed her mouth closer. His lips tasted of honey and champagne, she wondered vaguely what she tasted like herself. It was only when the backs of her legs hit something solid that she realised they were moving. Feeling behind her with one hand she discovered that it was his desk and its surface was at the perfect height for her to sit. She hopped up, without breaking their kiss, and ran both her hands through his hair, intentionally messing the silken strands through her fingers and tugging ever so slightly. He groaned, as though in pain and she immediately stopped, worried she'd done something wrong.

"Belle…" He moaned, drawing her closer, his hands firm on her waist but still achingly tender as she smiled into his kiss. Unconsciously she felt him step between her legs and her eyes were closing again as he dragged his mouth away from hers to press open mouthed kisses against her throat and across to the sensitive skin beneath her ear. She shuddered and grasped his shoulders, forcing him closer.

"Robert…" She breathed and at the sound he seemed to relax. Robert trailed his hands slowly up her waist, his palms branding her skin through the yellow silk as he drew closer and closer to her breasts. She felt a tug in the hidden depths of her belly, a timid wrench of muscles that made her gasp and arch ever so slightly into his hands. The movement caused his slim fingers to just brush the underside of her breast, making her entire body tingle and stars explode behind her eyelids. She whimpered, drawing pleasure from his touch, but he immediately he pulled back, his eyes wide with alarm. She stared at him in confusion.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked softly and the look in his eyes made her want to cry. It was as if a goddess had suddenly appeared before him, had spoken to him, only for him to have disgraced her somehow. His eyes were wide with horror and he let out a ragged gasp.

"I… I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me." He murmured and backed away, instantly dropping his hands from her face and turning away, as though ashamed to look at her. Belle felt as though he'd struck her squarely in the stomach. Her knuckles rapped the desk sharply as her hands fell away from him limply. She hurriedly reached out to touch his shoulder but he jerked away, as though afraid to touch her. She moved closer, scooting to the very edge of the table, and wrapped her arms around his chest, resting her head against the middle of his back, right between his shoulder blades. Under her head she felt him draw a deep, shuddering breathe and tightened her hold on him. Neither uttered a single word and Belle began slowly to come down from the high his kiss had given her. Evidently he was too because suddenly he whirled and grasped her by the shoulders.

"You should go Belle, please." He whispered and Belle gasped.

"What?" She stammered in confusion as he eased her hold off him and turned to face her slowly. She looked up into his face. Trying to fight the tears that now threatened to fall and saw that he looked incredibly torn.

"Go." He repeated and she licked her lips, which had suddenly become as dry as her throat. Numbly she moved to stand but fell, slumping to the ground. He bent to help her but she flung his hand away, her hurt vanishing into anger. He responded by withdrawing into himself, a faint sneer curling his lips and making her want to cry. Stumbling to her feet Belle moved back to the fire place and gathered her book, holding it tenderly to her chest as she made for the door. At the door she paused and looked back to see Robert leaning against his desk, hands spread on its edge and his back to her. She swallowed whatever protest she'd been about to make and, eyes burning with unshed tears, fled the room.

_OoOoOoO_

Belle tore through the house, staggering and tripping on her beautiful skirts along the 2nd floor corridor before flinging herself upon the common room door. She beat at it until it was thrown open and a startled Mary Margret appeared. Her pretty, smiling face crumpled in horror as she stepped aside and crushed Belle to her.

"Belle, what's happened?" She demanded and cautiously led Belle to one of the settees, throwing brusque commands to the other girls to get out. Soon it was just them and Belle finally broke down. She threw herself into Mary Margret's arms and sobbed against her shoulder.

"He… oh god his face… I never… I just…" She stammered but Mary Margret shushed her, jumping slightly when the door was thrown open and Ruby walked into the room, closely followed by Ashley. All hell proceeded to break loose and for the next few minutes Belle was swamped by voices.

"EVERYBODY JUST SHUT UP!" Ruby finally snapped and the room fell silent. She turned to Belle who was wiping her eyes and hiccupping against Mary Margret's shoulder. Ashley had an arm around her shoulders, concern filling her kind blue eyes.

"Belle, what happened?" Ruby asked gently and Belle took a deep breath.

"His face… he just looked so…" She broke off and buried her face in her hands.

"Gaston?" Ruby asked and Belle shook her head.

"Belle who is 'he'?" Mary Margret asked and Belle shuddered.

"Mr Gold." She said softly, afraid to meet anyone's eyes. Ruby's face went slack with shock and then red with fury.

"That's it, the man has had this ass kicking coming since day dot." She yelled and proceeded to turn on her heel and storm from the room. Belle tried vainly to stop her. Her anger from only moments ago had faded to despair, what if he kicked her out? She had nowhere to go now. What if he couldn't stand to look at her? She bit her lip to stop from keening her sorrow and Mary Margret's hand stroked her unruly curls back form her face.

"Did he… hurt you?" Ash asked timidly and Belle shook her head.

"No, at least I don't think so… he, well, he kind of kissed me." She breathed and the silence that followed was suffocating. Her cheeks were burning and she couldn't look either in the eye, instead focusing all her attention on her hands.

"Kissed you?" Mary Margret breathed. Belle nodded and figited with the golden skirt in her lap.

"Gold? Mr Gold? The Mr Gold?" Ashley demanded and again Belle affirmed her statement silently.

"But Gold doesn't like people… not like that at least." Ashley said and Belle couldn't help but let out a short laugh that sounded very bitter to her ears.

"Was it good? I mean, was he a good kisser?" Ash asked excitedly only to slam her hand over her mouth in horror. Mary Margret sent her a glare but Belle was glad her blonde friend had reacted like she usually would. She rolled her eyes.

"I don't really have anyone to compare it too, I'd never been kissed before… well…" She broke off and sighed, wrapping her arms around her middle. She finally looked at her friends to gauge their reactions. Mary Margret was wide eyed with shock and Ashley looked ready to both squeal with excitement and burst into tears. She quickly looked away and back down at her hands.

"Oh Belle, I'm sorry." Mary Margret said and Belle shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. For what it's worth, yes, he was a very good kisser." She said and smiled slightly at their obvious shock.

"But he apparently doesn't like me all that much either… he sent me away but I don't even know what I did wrong?" She said hopelessly and sighed as Ash's grip tightened around her shoulders.

"Belle you probably did nothing wrong, he's the jerk here for letting you go and cry your eyes out… you said it once, there's always someone else out there and he's probably a way better catch then Gold." She said and paused as Belle glared at her.

"You did want him to kiss you right?" Mary Margret asked and Belle swallowed.

"Yes." She admitted and bit her bottom lip, only to be reminded of him leaning in and biting it himself. She instantly stopped and stood up, pacing to the other side of the room and looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was now a tangled bird-nest of a mess and her eyes were red rimmed and streaked with black, making her look like some bride of Frankenstein in gold and worst of all, her lips were still slightly swollen from his kisses. Belle reached up to touch them lightly and closed her eyes.

"You can stay with me tonight." Ash said and Belle whirled to thank her.

Ashley waved it off and grabbed her hands.

"Come on, let's get you into something more comfortable… this will all sort itself out tomorrow." Mary Margret said and the three of them moved to the door.

"Today is tomorrow, best and worst birthday I suppose." Belle joked tightly as Ash lead her straight down the corridor to one of the rooms. All three of them crammed inside and Belle smiled as they calmly went about finding her sleeping-wear. Suddenly exhausted Belle allowed Ash to brush her hair thoroughly before sluggishly moving out of the beautiful golden dress. She stroked the glittering fabric tenderly and held it close. Putting it down she swept the offered nightgown over her head and kissed Mary Margret on the cheek as she left.

"Take care girls." She said and Belle smiled softly as she watched her wander back to her own room, dimming most of the lights as she passed. Ash giggled and patted the bed beside her, making Belle roll her eyes. She flicked off the light, plunging them into total darkness and made her way blindly towards the bed. Cautiously the two of them slipped beneath the covers and lay facing each other in the dark.

"Are you alright?" Ash asked and Belle sighed.

"Honestly? No. It hurts. I mean he kissed me and then… I don't know, I think I did something and it scared him." She said softly, digging deeper into her pillow and trying to imagine what it was that had disturbed him so. Ash on the other hand giggled.

"You must have done something really wicked to scare Mr Gold." She teased and Belle chuckled despite the ache in her chest.

"So… how was it?" Ash asked and Belle stared at her friend through the dark in confusion. Ash sighed and shifted.

"Your first kiss?" She murmured in a sing song voice, making Belle blush vividly in the pitch black of the room.

"Everything and nothing like what I'd expected." She said and sighed, remembering how perfect it had been until she'd gone and ruined it.

"I love him Ash." She said and felt her friend stiffen beside her. A hand reached out and grasped hers where it lay on the pillow, squeezing it gently. Belle felt tears begin to leak from her eyes again.

"I just… I don't know what he wanted, what I did wrong. Was I too inexperienced? Am I not pretty enough?" Belle stammered and instantly Ashley was clutching her shoulders.

"No Belle, never. You are beautiful and you are also one of the smartest people I've ever met, look at all those books you read, all the lives you changed by simply being yourself… no Belle he's the fool, for letting you go." She said firmly and Belle nodded, even though Ash couldn't really see it in the dark. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand she nodded.

"I'm sorry, it just… hurts." She said and winced as her friend wrapped her arms around her in a solid embrace. They clung to each other and Belle began to feel her exhaustion actually affect her body. She closed her eyes and relaxed against the pillow.

"Thanks Ash." She breathed and felt a gentle squeeze on her arm.

"It's going to be alright Belle, you'll see."

_OoOoOoO_

Robert cursed violently as Belle's rapid footsteps faded away, a door slamming somewhere downstairs and making him want to throw something across the room.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" He muttered stumbling around the desk to sink despondently into his chair. Head in his hands he began to contemplate whether hell was warmer this time of year or colder. Either way would be fine, he didn't deserve the regular levels of hell even psychopaths enjoyed. He'd kissed her, pawed her like some starved animal then sent her packing like a call girl he'd just paid for. He was despicable, a monster and there was no way now that she'd ever, ever come near him again. What on earth had possessed him to even kiss her? The memory of her beautifully soft lips eager against his own would probably haunt her until the day he died… he groaned, sinking his head into his arms.

_Well… that went splendidly._

_**One more word and I will kill us both.**_

_Really? Prior attempts to kill us have been about as successful as you in a beauty pageant… _

_**Just shut up.**_

_Why? Personally I think that went rather well, except for the whole 'oh no she can't possibly love me, hell, I might as well insult her by letting her think that this entire situation is her fault.' _

_**Please shut up.**_

_No, for the love all god man, she was happy, you were happy and I… well, I wasn't unhappy._

_**She couldn't have been happy, look at us! What sensible young woman would seriously be happy with the idea of me kissing her?**_

_Our Belle _is_ sensible and she wasn't pushing you away… something you should have noticed considering she had her fingers in your hair. _

_**Don't remind me.**_

_Why? You both seem to enjoy it. _

_**SHUT UP!**_

_Whoa! Temper, temper Bobby, I'm on your side… well there is a part of me that could find your slow and torturous death rather enjoyable but that's beside the point. _

_**Do you ever stop being this incessant?**_

_Have you ever known me to stop being this incessant?_

_**Damn you!**_

_We're both damned my good man, no point yelling about it now._

_**Oh for f-**_

_What's that? _Robert's internal dialogue was cut off mid-way as he scanned the room and saw a flickering of something by the fire. Slowly he got up and limped around the desk, tilting his head slightly as the glittering something revealed itself. It was Belle's necklace, or at least, the remnants of it. It was the main pendant still clinging to the last traces of metal and as its shape focused he let out a hoarse yell.

_A V-rod? Who makes those anymore?_

_**And why the hell was Belle wearing one?**_

_I _was _just thinking about saying that._

Robert ignored the childish voice and gingerly picked up the shimmering pendant, trying to fight the waves of nausea that arose in him as he stared at it. A V-rod was an ancient Pictish symbol, dating back many thousands of years and was considered an ill-omen of death, why would Belle, the life-light in this abyss, have one around her neck? Tentatively he turned it over and a faint watermark caught his eye. His mouth tightened into a thin, hard line and he gripped the pendant hard enough in his hand that one of the sharper edges tore the skin of his palm. He stood, ignoring the trickle of scarlet that now ran from his hand. Staggering to the desk he began to turn the damned thing over and over in his hand, trying to think how best to contact that maker who was probably downstairs having a good long laugh at him. A resounding knock on the door made him start and he frowned.

"Begone!" He bellowed but the door was thrown open with so much force that one of the hinges actually broke when it rebounded off the wall. Gold raised a single brow to stare at Ruby Lucas, all 5ft. 11 of her, as she stalked into the room and came to lean over his desk.

"What the hell did you do to her?" She hissed and Robert knew instantly of who they were talking. He winced and turned away, waving at her to leave but the stubborn woman wouldn't go, refusing to budge even half an inch.

"Please go Lucas." He said tersely and steeled himself as her hands came down with an echoing bang upon the desk.

"HELL NO!" She screamed and he turned to her lazily, fingers coming up to rest under his chin as he stared at her indulgently.

"Then kindly restrain yourself woman, I'll not be yelled at by you or anyone else under my own roof are we clear?" He asked calmly and she seemed to struggle on the edge of exploding. Finally she settled herself, managing to retreat slightly but still giving him a glare hot enough to melt a glacier.

"That's better." He murmured and picked casually at a piece of lint on his sleeve. Couldn't the damn woman mind her own business? Couldn't he just be left alone to nurse his greivences? Lucas' face crunched in anger and she seemed to visibly shake with fury. Deciding that now was as good a time as any not to have his head kicked in my an angry female Robert rolled his eyes and spoke as calmly as he could.

"Now what dearie, is it that I've supposedly done wrong this time?" He asked causing her face to turn a lovely hue of cerise.

"You made the only girl on the face of this planet who actually cares about you cry like a baby and I intend to find out what the hell you did before proceeding to stomp your face in!" Ruby said seriously and Robert flinched. He wasn't the most popular of people but was that entirely necessary, he already felt bad enough as it was.

"Go Lucas, I never meant harm to the girl, at least believe that." He said softly and felt Ruby's disbelief before he saw it. Rolling his eyes he shooed her away.

"You're still under my employment, go downstairs and fetch a man called Jefferson Hatter." Robert ordered sternly and watched as the woman bristled, stiffened and stormed out of the room with hunched shoulders. He waited for her to return, rubbing his face tiredly.

"I'm sorry Belle." He muttered, staring at his palms in dismay. The door flew open and two pairs of feet approached his desk, he looked up and curtly ordered Ruby out of the room. She scowled, swore at him under her breath and departed. Jefferson looked at the door in amusement and folded his arms over his chest.

"Now how did you get that delightful creature so riled?" He asked and Robert sneered.

"Sit." He ordered harshly and the man sat down on the chair opposite him. There was a tense silence, then Robert pushed the silver pendant towards the man, sliding it across the desk with a contemptuous sneer.

"Do you recognise this?" He asked carefully and the man frowned, leaning in to pick up the pendant and turn it over carefully in his hands. His eyes flew wide and he dropped it with a small gasp. Robert smiled thinly.

"What the devil!?" Jefferson cried and Robert raised a quizzical brow at his obvious confusion.

"How did you get your hands on that?" Jefferson demanded and Robert coughed in amusement.

"I was hoping you could answer that, considering you made the damned thing." He remarked dryly and Jefferson moved to pick up the pendant again, staring at it in horror and disbelief. He swore violently and slammed his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Damn it!" He yelled and stood, moving to pace before Robert's desk in obvious agitation. He paused and planted his hands on his hips, staring directly upwards as though willing the answer to fall from the heavens and hit him smack in the face.

"The break in." he murmured and Gold's attention was immediately caught.

"What break in?" He demanded, pushing himself up off his chair. He grabbed his cane and moved out from behind his desk.

"A few weeks ago, Amarina came to my shop in tears. Someone had broken in when she'd gone out for groceries and left the place in uproar… I thought the vault hadn't even been found, it was locked tight when I checked it but obviously…"

"Obviously someone got through." Robert finished, knowing instinctively that the man was telling the truth. Damn, he would have liked to take his anger out on the bastard. The other man nodded wearily and grasped his hair with both hands.

"How did you get it? I never told anyone about it, it's a prototype." He said and Robert nodded.

"Indeed, I thought nothing was amiss until I saw your initials on the back… secret service never leaves us does it?" He muttered darkly and the other man nodded grimly.

"What exactly does it do?" Robert asked and Jefferson sighed.

"Records information, basically transmitting entire conversations without anyone even knocking it's a bug…" He said and Robert felt his gut clench. How long had it been with Belle? Weeks? Days? Did she know about it? If she didn't then she could have innocently carried hundreds of private conversations directly to the ears of whoever had stolen the device. If she did… he shuddered, not wanting to think that the same Belle he's kissed only minutes ago would be the one to betray him now. He remembered with perfect detail how soft and full her lips were, the gentle whimper that had escaped her mouth when he'd brushed the underside of her perfect breast. Disgusted with himself, he shook his head to clear it, growing distinctly uncomfortable. A nasty thought and then another began to creep into his mind.

"_I'd just be wary, the most obvious of spies can be right under your nose." _What had the damned woman been insinuating? No, Belle couldn't have, she wouldn't have. Regina was about a beautiful as a snake and just as dangerous. Subtle lies and insinuation could break even the most stalwart vaults and, despite himself, once the flood gates had opened it was impossible to stem the dam seed had been had opportunity, motive and the means to let this play out. He's trusted that she'd been happy here, trusted that she wouldn't betray him and that had been his downfall. Looking back he wondered how on earth he could have been so blind. Why else would she tolerate his advances, pretend to enjoy his company…

_Robert no!_

_**Just shut up, you can't tell me you aren't thinking it too. **_

_No but…_

_**Then shut up!**_

_But Robert this is Belle, our Belle… _

_**And that's why it would only have worked with her… I've grown soft, I let myself think she could care. **_He mused thoughtfully, deep simmering anger bubbling to just below the surface of his control. Hurt welled inside him and then overwhelming self-loathing. He saw it now, the fluttering eyes, the simpering tongue. How easily she had him believing she cared. He'd been desperate, pure and simple, desperate to think that a young, beautiful girl like her could…

"Are there any more?" He asked the silent Jefferson who shook his head and indicated towards the pendant.

"No, that was the only one… unless they've copied my design in which case, they could be anywhere." He said and closed his eyes.

"I'm so sorry." He muttered and Robert felt himself let out a short, bitter laugh.

"For what… I was a fool to trust her." He said and the man looked at him strangely. Robert rolled his eyes.

"This necklace has been around the neck of my newest housekeeper… decent girl, well I suppose I'll have to rethink that, but still…" He broke off and moved to stand before the flickering flames.

"That'll be all." He said and motioned for the man to leave. Jefferson moved to the door and paused.

"Gold, our deal? My daughter?" He demanded and Robert sighed, wishing he could be malicious and break their deal. Unfortunately he couldn't. The deal had been struck and, even though the man had provided the means for this to occur, he was not responsible.

"Our deal is still on Mr Hatter." He said and heard the man sigh in relief.

"Be back here tomorrow morning, as early as you can please." Without another word Jefferson left, leaving Robert alone with his tortured thoughts.

OoOoOoO

"Idiot!" Regina bellowed at the now cowering Gaston who sat nursing his head and his pride as the angry woman bore down on him with all the ire of a branded bull.

"You complete an utter moron!" Regina screamed and slapped the man across his cheek, splitting it under the golden ring around her ring finger and taking satisfaction from the instant flow of blood.

"I said I'm sorry." Gaston murmured pitifully but Regina was past listening.

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't get me results. Sorry means I now have to find a way to get information out of the Palace, sorry means I am set back months in bringing down that fiend Gold and sorry means that you are no longer of any use to me." She said and took a deep fortifying breath. Gaston's eyes widened with shock. Instantly he was on his knees, crawling forward to grovel pitifully at her feet.

"No please." He begged but Regina kicked him away contemptuously.

"Get out." She ordered disgustedly, moving to stand by the window. As he stumbled away down the stairs Regina rested her forehead against the window pane. Damn, now all her carefully laid plans had turned to shit, every plan had counted upon the necklace being in position and while the information it had gather thus far proved invaluable she now had a suspicious Gold on her hands… not something she needed when in the process of bringing the son of a bitch down.

_OoOoOoO_

Belle awoke the next morning with burning eyes and a stiffened back. Rolling over she felt a warm body next to her and sat up with a gasp, only to relax when Ash raised her sleepy head to glare at her from beneath the covers. Shaking sleep from her head Belle pushed the covers back and stood, stretching out her back and gazing around the room absently.

"Um Ash… I'll be downstairs if you need me." She murmured and a mumbled response was the only answer she received from the mound of sheets. Shaking her head bemusedly Belle moved stoically to the door and hurried to the elevator, clad in nothing but a nightgown she was not ready to be caught by anyone. A mad dash upstairs revealed an angry Calico who fluttered anxiously around her face as she dressed into her light blue work dress. After weeks of wearing the same navy wool Belle was sick to deep of it, deciding to wear her hair up in a loose bun before heading back downstairs. It seemed as though the house were empty, silence permeated the entire building and the only signs of life came from the kitchen where Granny slaved, as usual, before her stove. She turned as Belle entered and sighed.

"I'm to tell you to go up as soon as you can." She said and Belle bit her lip, nodding and moving to make tea.

"Don't bother, he's already ordered some and I took it up earlier." Granny said and Belle felt as though she'd been punched again, this time right in the chest directly above her heart. Numbly she turned on her heel and began to walk away towards the concealed staircase.

"Belle, are you alright, you seem a little put out?" Granny asked and Belle opened her mouth to tell her no, then closed it and simply nodded. No point in making the woman worry.

"Just tired, big night." She said and grimaced at the irony. Granny clucked and nodded, a relieved smile breaking across her kindly face as she turned away to attend her beloved stew.

"Good, make sure you tell that man what for… he listens to you." She muttered and Belle murmured a weak response before climbing upwards with about as much enthusiasm as a condemned man mounted the steps to his hanging post. When she arrived Belle could hear restless movements on the other side of the door, the third, uneven thud let her know it was Ro- Mr Gold pacing and she tightened her lips as she raised her fist to knock.

"Enter." He called and Belel straightened her shoulders to walk defiantly into the room. He stood, dressed impeccably as always in one of his dark suits, by the fireplace and Belle's gaze automatically flicked to his face, fighting the overwhelming urge to cry when he glared at her coldly. Instantly her courage failed but she stepped into the room's centre, closing the door behind her and keeping a respectable distance between them. Tense silence reigned and suddenly Robert moved like lightning. A flash of silver caught her eye movement before she reached out instinctively to catch the glittering object he hurled at her. She turned it over and saw it was her necklace, or at least the pendant of her necklace. She frowned and looked up at him in confusion.

"Care to tell me dearie where you got that lovely little piece from?" He asked and Belle shivered at the ice in his voice. She swallowed and looked down at the pendant again.

"It was a gift." She said and he chuckled mirthlessly.

"A rather extravagant gift for a housekeeper don't you think?" He asked snidely and Belle shrugged.

"I suppose but Gaston has always been nice to me… until last night." She murmured and he sent her a calculating look.

"Gaston gave this to you?" Mr Gold demanded sharply and Belle nodded, folding her arms defiantly over her chest.

"Yes. What's this all about… if this is about last night then…"

"Enough." He yelled and Belle flinched. His lips tightened and his brown eyes softened slightly, before hardening as he limped heavily towards her. Grabbing the pendant from her hands he turned it over and pointed to a faint mark etched to the back that Belle hadn't even noticed was there. Scrawled faintly into the silver back was a curling J and H.

"Do you recognise this mark?" He asked and she shook her head numbly, her head swimming at him being so close. She remembered telling Ash last night that she loved this man and standing beside him now, even when he was so obviously angry with her, she knew she did. She'd entirely lost her heart to him and it hurt to know that he didn't feel the same. She stared at the floorboards beneath her feet.

"Please Mr Gold, what's this all about?" She asked and he sneered.

"Mr Gold is it? What happened to Robert?" He demanded and she flinched, rubbing her arms comfortingly.

"Under the circumstances, I think Mr Gold is quite appropriate." She murmured and he tossed his head irritably. Moving away to fling the pendant onto the surface of his desk he whirled to fix her with an icy glare.

"You deny knowing that the pendant was a bug?" Mr Gold asked and Belle's eyes flew wide with shock. Her mouth fell open and her arms unfolded unconsciously as she gaped at him in horror.

"A bug?" She breathed and he frowned.

"That's real." He muttered, almost to himself, and turned away, planting his hands on the desk and shaking the desk viciously. Belle felt her anger begin to rise as she realised he'd been gauging her reaction, trying to see if she had betrayed him. After everything they'd been through, after that bloody kiss, he still couldn't trust her. Hurt, anger and shock swelled within her chest as Belle continued to stare at him.

"A bug, that… but that means…"

"Every conversation, every word you've said for however long you've been wearing it has been transmitted to someone who I can only assume does not have out best interests as at heart." Mr Gold went on and Belle suddenly felt sick. It over-rid her anger and she clutched at her stomach, stumbling towards the fireplace and catching herself on the back of her armchair, breathing deeply to try and calm herself down.

"Everything I've said, all of it… things I didn't even tell Ruby, or Ash, or even you… oh my god." She covered her face with her hands and sank down into the armchair. Gold made as sound as though about to speak but a knock came at the door and he broke off.

"Enter." He ordered and Belle looked up to see an attractive young man with large sorrowful eyes walk into the room. He had brown hair and pale, pale skin that made his wide, vivid eyes shine. In his hand he clutched a top hatch, of what appeared to be mismatched material and rich velvet.

"Ah Jefferson… this is my housekeeper Belle. Belle, this is Jefferson Hatter, the man whose confounded contraption you've been wearing around your neck." Robert muttered tersely and Belle gaped at Jefferson who in turned studied her quietly. Suddenly she gasped.

"I've seen that mark before… I couldn't think of it before but now I know it for certain." She said and Mr Gold suddenly glared at her.

"I thought you said…"

"That was before and this is now, Jefferson, what's your last name?" She asked and Jefferson frowned.

"Hatter." He answered warily and Belle's excitement grew.

"JH. JH!" She screamed and got to her feet. Pacing before the fire she stopped and gave him a stern glare.

"I know this is going to sound crazy but… do you have a daughter?" She asked and what little colour existed in the man's cheeks leeched rapidly off his face.

"What?" He asked and Belle sighed. Disappointed, she waved it off and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, it's just I came across this girl… Paige and she had this locket, it had two initials inside it JH and AF… I'm sorry." She said and sat down, Robert had by this stage leant back against the desk and folded his arms over his chest. Jefferson on the other hand had moved across the room and crouched before Belle, grasping her arms tightly.

"Paige? Her name was Paige?" He breathed and Belle nodded slowly then she smiled and leant forward.

"She's your daughter isn't she?" She said and the man's face seemed to split in two as he grinned, turning to throw his hat straight into the air, which Belle now noticed was rather abnormally large. He drew her up and planted two resounding kisses to her cheeks, grasping her shoulders and peering into her face excitedly.

"Where was she? Is she alright?" He demanded and Belle began to feel like she was being interrogated. She drew back and smiled at the man kindly.

"She's staying with a bunch of children beneath a bridge, in a park just down the road from here." She said and Jefferson let out a shaky laugh.

"Thank you." He murmured and she nodded, watching as he moved away towards the door. Pausing he looked back at Mr Gold and smiled.

"Anything you need Gold, anything at all… you know where to find me. And you, Miss Belle, my wife and I are forever in your debt." He said earnestly and Belle waved him off airily, blushing profusely.

"Please, go… she'd waiting for you." She said and he frowned.

"She knows of me?" He said incredulously and Belle nodded, her heart wrenching for the man.

"She just wants to meet you, she thinks you abandoned her but I can see that wasn't the case… just go and tell her… go!" Belle said and watched as he disappeared through the door, his footsteps rapidly receding down the corridor.

"Well, that was rather unexpected." Gold muttered and Belle sent him a wary look.

"And I should probably thank you for that, an unspecified favour from an ex-secret serviceman… the possibilities are endless." He mused, limping heavily around the desk to sit down in his armchair. He brought his hands together, the fingers splayed as though in prayer. Belle stood and moved to face him but he avoided looking at her, stubbornly focusing his attention on the papers spread before him. It was then she realised, he hadn't slept. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, his face was slack with exhaustion and he was all but slumping in his chair.

"Robert…" She began but he twitched, as though her voice irked him and her eyes narrowed. Screwing what little courage she had left Belle straightened her shoulders and leveled her gaze at him.

"Robert Gold, stop acting like a spoilt child and look me in the eye." She ordered, glaring at the top of his head until he paused, setting aside the pen and looking up at her indulgently. She rolled her eyes and moved around the desk, her breath suddenly extremely hard to draw as she moved to sit on the edge of the desk.

"Why?" She asked simply and the expression of terror on his face would have been comical if her heart hadn't been in her throat, almost choking her.

"Why would you kiss me and think I'd betray you? You must have known… you must know I'd never... I'd never been kissed before you, you know?" She broke off and shook her head, fighting the tears that now threatened to spill. He made a choking sound.

"Belle, you couldn't understand." He muttered and she glared up at him.

"Oh I understand, I understand perfectly… give the naïve little serving girl a little attention, a few endearments here and a nice expensive gift there… oh how you must be laughing at me." She said bitterly, folding her arms over her chest and scowling at him angrily. He looked aggrieved and suddenly she felt the fury from last night build, it hadn't gone anywhere, her sorrow and shock had masked it but it was still there, still burrowing into her very soul.

"I trusted you Robert!" She yelled and flung herself off the desk. He stared at her in shock and she sneered, flinging a stray piece of hair out of her eyes before leaning in close. She was trembling with anger but her eyes were burning and she knew tears were making their way down her face.

"I defended you! I stood up for you when so many people called you names or slandered you! I refused to believe that the man I served tea every morning, who nursed me back to health when I was nearly killed and who gave me my first kiss, could be the same man these people called a monster!" She screamed and he looked desperate. He moved forward and took her shoulders but Belle shrugged him off, stepping back to wrap her arms around herself. All the hurt came tumbling back as she glared at him defiantly.

"Why Robert? Why would you do that? What did I ever do to you? Was I not good enough? Am I not pretty enough?" She whimpered and he gasped.

"Belle no, it's not like that I swear." He implored and she let out a ragged sob. Wringing her hands she stepped towards him.

"Then what was it that made you push me away?" She said and he suddenly stood, towering above her with his face darkened like a thundercloud.

"Because I'm trying to protect you, stupid girl." He said and she frowned at the slight.

"What do you mean?" She demanded and he growled in frustration, running a hand through his thick brown hair. Belle noticed flecks of grey between the soft strands, a sobering reminder of just how infantile she was acting.

"Belle, I'm 45 years old, not only am I old enough to be your father, I'm also your employer and what I did, how I acted last night… you deserve so much better than that." He said and Belle winced at the tone of disgust in his voice. Now she realised, the horror and loathing she'd seen in his eyes after their kiss, it hadn't been directed at her… it had been directed at himself. In that moment her heart split almost in two. She gazed up at him in sorrow and moved to touch him. He stepped back and turned away from her.

"No Belle… if you touch me, I won't ever be able to stop." He muttered and Belle felt a tense tug at the base of her belly. It was a nervous and exciting contraction of muscles she realised made her breath come quicker and her heart pound in her temples.

"And what if I said I didn't want you to?" She whispered, causing a gasp to issue from his lips as he whirled to face her. He looked impossibly torn, desperate in turns to believe her and dismiss her words.

"You can't." He moaned and she smiled thinly.

"Why? Why can't I love you Robert?" She demanded and he stiffened, staring at her in pure shock. She moved forward and grasped his arm.

"Because no one can ever love me." He said softly and Belle let out a choked sob. He flinched and reached out tentatively, stroking away the tears that peppered her cheeks. She leaned into his palm and smiled tremulously up into his warm, dark brown eyes. He looked so lost, so very scared that Belle couldn't help but laugh internally. She herself was half out of her mind with terror, but right now her heart was screaming at her and she knew that if she didn't listen to it then she'd spend the rest of her life regretting it. She licked her lips and leaned closer until their lips were mere inches apart.

"Robert… I'm going to kiss you now, if you honestly feel nothing for me stop me." She said and slowly, giving him all the time she could, closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. At first he was stone beneath her lips then he let out a sound that seemed half whimper half groan and she felt his hands move upwards to cup her face. She pulled back and rested her forehead against his, her eyes were closed but she smiled.

"Kiss me again." She demanded and he shuddered. She opened her eyes to see that he was staring at her, his eyes rapidly darkening to a deep mahogany brown. He was gazing at her with such want it made her want to throw her arms around him and never let him go. Yet still he refused to kiss her, to do the thing she wanted him to more than anything else in the world.

"Why won't you kiss me? Do you hate me that much?" She asked, drawing him out and her words did the trick.

"Hate you? Belle-of-mine, I could never hate you… I-"

"Prove it." She challenged and something primal carried through her voice, making his eyes flash and his lips curl into a familiar smirk. In moments his lips were against hers again, an arm snaked around her waist and she was pulled flush against him. She brought her hands up and ran them through his hair, deciding she loved the feel of it and gasping shamelessly when his mouth skimmed downwards to the junction of her neck and shoulder. She stiffened as his lips closed on a spot she'd previously perceived as quite ordinary, that bittersweet junction, and felt her eye rolling slightly as he sucked it gently. A strange keening sound filled the room and with great embarrassment she realised it was issuing from her own lips. She pulled back and held a hand to her mouth, not able to meet his gaze. A gentle hand grasped her chin and forced her face upwards. She stared up at Robert through her eyelashes, blushing. The look in his eyes made her want to cry and laugh at the same time.

"I think dearie, I just proved it." He murmured smugly and Belle couldn't help but slap him for teasing. Frowning playfully she thrust him back and giggled slightly as he stumbled, landing in his armchair with a small thump. Grinning she skipped forward, smiling impishly at him as she hitched her skirts slightly and moved to straddle him, her knees on either side of his legs so as not to pain his bad knee any further. His eyes widened and he suddenly looked quite lost.

"Belle," He muttered, looking down and licking his lips. She tenderly placed her hands on his shoulders, slipping them around his neck as she slowly leant in. He was shaking violently beneath her and Belle began to grow worried.

"Robert what' wrong?" She asked and he sighed, detangled her arms from around his neck and placed them in her lap; as a father might a child's hands when trying to make a solemn point.

"I need to know Belle, is this what you want?" He asked quietly and she drew up straight, eying him stonily. She opened her mouth to argue but he cut across her, placing a long, slender finger over her lips. She glared at him but stopped at the obviously pained look in his eyes. Leaning away from his finger she clasped his hand and held it to her cheek, smiling at him softly and moving to press her lips to the knuckles. She watched as his eyelids fluttered slightly.

"You broke my heart." She said simply. He flinched and she smiled. She reached out and tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. He arched into her, slating her mouth across his and deepening the movement. Her lips parted beneath his and she gasped as his tongue dipped inside her mouth, retreating slightly at the noise. She shook her head, demanding more as she rocked against him, bringing her hips closer to his in unconscious undulations. She straightened suddenly as something rock hard pressed against the front of her pelvis. Looking up she saw him wince, a slight flush crossing his cheeks, and suddenly Belle was quite breathless. Dazed at the effect her body had on his she leaned in close and rested her head against his chest, tucking her head beneath his chin and wrapping her arms around him innocently. He seemed to relax, his own arms moving to embrace her tightly.

"I'm very sure Robert…" She said softly and he sighed.

"You deserve so much better." He murmured and beneath her ear his heartbeat thrummed a steady rhythm. She smirked.

"I know…" She said primly and giggled when he stiffened, wrapping her arms more firmly around him.

"But I don't want better, I want _you_." She said pointedly and tilted her face up to stared into his sorrowful brown eyes. She nuzzled into the hand that came up to caress her face, knowing that if she'd been a cat she'd have been purring long before this.

"Why Belle?" He asked and she smiled, placing a finger over his lips in a mockery of his previous action.

"I have my reasons… we can't really choose who we love you know?" She muttered and his eyes widened. He began to try and untangle himself but Belle held firm. The backs of her eyes burned as she realised that he preferred to think of himself as a monster, undeserving of love, and that by saying it she was only distressing him.

"Robert stop… just hold me, please." She pleaded and bit her bottom lip in a way that made his face contort with anguish. Soothingly she ran a hand down over his chest and patted the spot just over his heart. She opened her mouth to say something further but a knock at the door made them both freeze. They stared at one another and Belle hurriedly moved to climb off him. She saw his face and laughed.

"Oh please, I could sit there all day but I have the feeling that New York's not quite ready to see the softer side of Robert Gold… there is someone out there after you." She reminded him and it was obviously all the cold shower he needed. Getting to his feet he yelled brusquely from the person to enter and Belle had to hide her smirk as Ruby entered, her face like thunder. She pulled up short at the sight of Belle and eyed them suspiciously.

"Is everything alright?" She asked, the wariness in her tone forcing Belle to bite her lip in order to keep from shouting her triumphant joy. She sent Robert a quick glance and he winked at her inconspicuously as he moved past her towards the fireplace. With a swelling heart Belle turned to face her friend and smiled.

"Oh yes… I was just coming down to make some more tea." She announced and waltzed happily past the stunned brunette.

**Wow this chapter was an interesting one, I started with an original fluffy idea but for some reason that angsty part of my soul demanded I write some conflict. Alright so the next chapter and possibly the one after will be fluffy, I can guarantee smut is to come which will excite a few of my readers. If this kind of thing is not to your tastes then I will of course write a warning before and after so you can read the chapter but not be too disturbed. Please review and let me know what you felt about this chapter… did you like my Jefferson? Did you think I was too angsty? Love to all. **


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

**So this chapter is made as an apology to everyone who's been following Glittering Gold because I have been slack and haven't updated for what feels like ages. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and followed this fic, I can't believe how supportive you've all been. I hope you like my little inset about Bae and Robert, it just seemed like the right time to bring it in and I really enjoyed writing it. Background is always nice I think, so here you all go and please don't kill me for the long wait, life's just been a real bitch lately. There will be smut in the next chapter, this is a guarantee so feel free to quote me on it. If anyone has any problems with smut please message me, I'll put warnings up before and after for the squeamish.**

"Papa!" Robert arose fluidly from his work stool and walked to the door of the house, alarmed as his sprinting son jumped the low stone fence that bordered the property and dashed across the weed-choked yard at full pelt. The boy skidded to a halt, slipping on the loose stones of the path and gabbling breathlessly, obviously trying to explain what had transpired without the breath necessary to do so.

"Bae calm down, what's the matter?" Robert demanded and Bae took deep, steadying breaths as he used one hand to lean against the sagging door jamb and the other to sooth the growing stitch in his side.

"She… I said… oh god." He exclaimed breathlessly and Robert couldn't help but clap the boy on the back comfortingly. He took a moment to study his son, taking in his thin frame and ragged brown hair. Although Baelfire was wiry, some might even say scrawny, he possessed an enormous set of honey brown eyes that peered out from a face that seemed all plains and adolescent angles, much like a younger version of his own. He liked to think Bae got whatever good traits he had to offer because there was no child more beautiful than his boy. Right now the boy looked exhausted, as though he's run a marathon. His cheeks were flushed with exertion and the muscles in his legs were twitching with fatigue.

"Just calm down son… tell me exactly what happened." He said worriedly and frowned when the boy stared up at him in amazement.

"Just the most beautiful girl in the entire world… Moraine Knowles, Papa! I asked her to go to the dance with me… I was a complete and utter idiot! I saw her today, in the shop, and just asked her, right there, in front of everyone, if she'd go with me!" The boy moaned and Robert all but chuckled at his son's obvious infatuation with the girl. Vaguely he recalled the lass in question, same age as Bae with long brown hair and kind eyes.

"Well now, that's fantastic Bae." He murmured and pursed his lips worriedly when Bae slumped to the ground in despair.

"I ran, she was just staring at me, everyone was, and so I just ran." He moaned and buried his face in his hands. Robert raised an eyebrow at him and eased himself down beside the boy, staring out over the gently sloping moors on which the few sheep they owned grazed peacefully. For a moment they were the only people in the whole world.

"Let me get this straight. You ran for two whole miles, from town all the way back here... because you asked a girl to the dance on Friday?" He asked slowly and the lad nodded weakly, his face still covered by his hands. Robert was silent for a moment, weighing up the situation, then threw back his head and released a loud cackle of laughter. Bae looked over at him from behind his slim fingers, aghast, then a wide smile flickered across his own face and the pair were soon crowing like duo of old maids. Bae's shoulders were shaking violently with poorly supressed laughter and Robert was faring no better, his fist slamming repeatedly into the sagging doorframe as they clung desperately to one another until their hysteria passed. Eventually their joviality ran out but Robert was still sniggering quietly as he climbed to his feet, offering the boy a hand up as he turned back to the house.

"Come inside, I made breakfast." He said bracingly and ushered the boy inside, closing the door behind him. It was a single roomed house, made up almost entirely by a wooden table Robert's father had made over 20 years ago. In one corner the thin, straw filled mattress that served as their bed slumped sadly against the white-wash wall, in the other stood his spinning wheel and work stool. It was small and cramped but it was the only home either had known and neither could ask for more, least of all Robert himself. He'd long ago accepted this life, his only regret was that his son might wind up in the same situation, stuck in this god-forsaken town for the rest of his days. Once inside the fourteen year old boy literally bounced off the walls, a bundle of nervous energy. Robert pushed the bowl of porridge across the slab of oak that served as a table before moving back to the spinning wheel in the corner, sitting back down and rewinding the bobbin.

"Papa, can't you take one day off? It's my birthday tomorrow." Baelfire pleaded and Robert sighed, keeping his gaze fixed on the repetitive turn of the wheel. Making sure his grip on the wickedly sharp spindle was secure he shifted slightly on the stood and shrugged haplessly.

"If I work hard today Bae then perhaps, tomorrow I can spend time with you… wouldn't that be better?" He asked faux cheerfully and winced as Baelfire's thin fist came down on the table. The bowl rattled and the house became quiet, only the creak of the wheel and their breaths audible in the stillness.

"It's not fair, you work three times as hard as any man down at Harvey's." The boy muttered bitterly and Robert sighed, realising he'd ruined his son's semi-jubilant mood.

"Please Bae, let's not argue… tomorrow you turn fifteen, what would you like?" He asked and tilted his head to stare at Baelfire without once stopping his long practiced movements. As he'd hoped the lad decided to take the bait and sat thoughtfully for a moment.

"Nothin'." He said unthinkingly and laughed. Robert frowned at him, disgruntled at the lad's carelessly ended sentencing. Even if _he_ travelled nowhere else in all the wide world, _his_ son was going to be properly educated and able to walk amongst all manner of men with his head held high, not curse and mutter like the illiterate drunks that inhabited most of their hamlet. Baefire saw his father's face and immediately apologised.

"Sorry Papa… wouldn't you know it but I can't think of blessed thing." He murmured as Robert chuckled softly and turned back to the wheel, coughing suddenly as his chest tightened uncomfortably. The laughing fit from before had tensed his chest muscles and restricted his airways and now he was paying the price for it. This particular fit was so bad that he had to stop spinning, leaning over and shaking intensely as the harrowing coughs wracked his body. When he was able to catch his breath without bringing on another round, he glanced at Bae and winced. The boy looked incredibly guilty. Many unspoken things flowed between the two but Robert again merely waved off his boy's apology.

"Papa, you should be in bed, that cough's only going to get worse." He muttered but Robert smiled weakly, waving off the lad's concern.

"It'll pass, they always do." He said bracingly and indicated for the boy to eat.

"Come Bae, finish up or it'll go cold." He warned but the boy sat back on the bench and folded his arms over his chest.

"Where's yours?" He demanded and Robert winced.

"I already ate." He lied and Bae's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Taking his bowl the boy went the tiny kitchen, which was really nothing more than a glorified wall against which a pot-bellied stove and shelf existed to store food and cutlery. He rifled through the shelf and pivoted on his heel to hold up the only other bowl in the house, eying his father sardonically at its dry interior. Robert's shoulders slumped in defeat and he stood, moving to the door and fighting to control his rising temper. Stalking across the garden he stared out over the moors and felt his teeth grind tensely. It simply wasn't fair. There were drunks in town whose pay was better than his. Brats whose parents' could easily afford to buy them the latest game or trinket. Bae deserved so much more than being the son of a cowardly spinner who couldn't even afford a square meal for the two of them. He gripped the stone wall that circled their tiny property as another round of wracking coughs hit him. His knuckles went bone white against damp black stones as he inwardly prayed for a miracle from any deity who happened to care about what a mortal suffered at this particular moment in time. Too many long nights spinning and not enough food, combined with that stupid decision to trek through the rain last Sunday had made the cough grow steadily worse. The violence of the fit made him wince and the blazing pain in his throat and head made him nauseous. With no small amount of chagrin Robert pondered their limited funds and kept to his decision to postpone a visit to Madam Carson, a local herb woman who charged less than the town doctor. Incidentally Carson had been the one to stand in as midwife at Baelfire's birth when the bastard backed out at the last possible moment, apparently due to his own wife suddenly going into labour that later turned out to be false. As much as he trusted the woman Robert would put off such a visit until there was really no help for it or the cough passed. No such luck apparently, the damned thing simply got worse as Robert struggled to work up enough money to treat it.

"Mr Gold?" A soft voice interrupted his bitter thoughts and he looked up sharply to see a young girl, of about 14 or 15 years of age, standing on the road on the other side of the wall, her brown eyes watching him curiously. Dressed in a sensible brown gingham dress with a stained white shop apron thrown over the top, Moraine Knowles was indeed a pretty young thing and Robert carded a hand through his shoulder length hair, casting a glance over his shoulder towards the house where his son still hid.

"Good morning lass." He said slowly and she curtseyed, stumbling a little but covering it with a bright smile. He returned it thinly.

"Hello sir, I was just wondering if Bae was here." She asked bravely and Robert leant forward against the wall, eyeing her warily. She straightened under his appraisal and levelled her own gaze at him. Impressed at her daring he bulked and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, the three day stumble scratching his calloused fingers roughly.

"Well now dearie, I'm not sure if I should tell you… the lad's had enough trauma for one day." He murmured, watching her from under his eyebrows as she stiffened and began to shuffle her feet in the dirt of the road.

"Don't call me 'dearie', I'm nobody's dearie but those of whom I choose." Moraine muttered and Robert couldn't help but chuckle.

"Very well Miss Knowles, if you want to be so proper about it." He corrected teasingly and grinned inwardly as she scowled at him.

"Moraine is fine. Men always seem to be calling each other by their names so why should men not call women by theirs?" She demanded and Robert scratched his chin bemusedly.

"I'm simply a spinner dear- Moraine… what could I know of politics and decorum?" He returned and she smirked. Drawing herself up neatly to her fullest height she gazed at him frankly.

"Mr Gold, spinner or not, what's your opinion on female suffrage?" She asked primly and Robert fought to hide the smile that flashed across his face.

"Well now, isn't that a question… men have stuffed up enough over the years, I wager letting woman have a say can't hurt." He muttered ruefully and the girl's smile instantly became less forced, relaxing into a genuine giggle of delight.

"Seems to me you know enough of politics to be my friend." She said cheerfully and Robert decided that she was safe enough to allow admittance into his world. Ashamed that he worried about the intentions of a fourteen year old girl he sighed. Seeing her face fall slightly he grinned suddenly at Moraine and looked over his shoulder towards the house.

"Bae's here." He said cheerfully and she suddenly looked quite nervous, not at all the self-assured woman he'd just been talking to.

"Could I speak to him please?" She asked, tucking a strand of thick brown hair behind her ear, and he nodded slowly.

"Bae!" Robert called over his shoulder and a few minutes later the boy trudged from the house, going rigid when his gaze alighted on Moraine. Robert approached his son and turned to face Moraine and smile politely as Bae leaned in close and whirled back to face their slightly dilapidated house.

"How do I look?" He whispered, straightening his collar nervously and running a hand through his hair in an attempt to neaten it.

"Like you've just run for two miles for no apparent reason, now go and talk to the lass." Robert ordered, turning the boy firmly by his shoulders and thrusting him towards the still waiting girl. He knew that at Bae's age he himself would have been too terrified to speak, had been too cowardly to do many things his bravado laden offspring seemed capable of doing. He was a coward but that didn't mean he wanted his son to be one too. Moraine straightened and smiled at Bae as he approached. Bae looked ready to start running again and Robert smirked, moving back to watch from the shelter of the doorway. The two children talked stiffly and then Moraine nodded timidly.

"Really?" Bae stuttered and Robert covered his chuckle with a cough. The young girl nodded again and Bae leapt over the wall to wrap his arms around her waist, picking her up and swinging her around with wild whoops of delight. Moraine herself let out a squeal of protest but simply ended up laughing when he set her down again.

"Truly? You'll go with me?" He asked, his voice carrying over the yard, and Moraine pursed her lips playfully.

"No, I simply walked for two miles down a muddy road to tell you I wouldn't go with you." She quipped wryly and Bae's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Sorry." He murmured, kicking the dust at his feet, and Moraine smiled teasingly. Looping her arm through his she waved at Robert over her shoulder and tugged his still dumbfounded son away. As he watched the pair soon disappearing over the next hill and Robert was left alone to ponder this charming development. Chuckling loudly now that there was no one to hear him Robert pivoted and re-entered the house, moving back to his post and sitting down before the ancient wheel. Soon he was back in a steady rhythm, the creak of the wheel soothing him as it had for the last fifteen years.

OoOoOoO

"Robert, thank god ye came, I was just 'bout out." Deirdre's roughened voice exclaimed as Robert poked his head in through the back door of the tailor's workroom. About half a dozen women looked up from where they sat by their usual worktables. Each was at a varying stage of completing the article of clothing in her hands and the room was airless and hot, making their appearance somewhat haggard and flustered. If there was ever a situation that called for diplomacy it was trading with red-cheeked irritable dressmakers. Everyone looked towards him, some waved and others simply stared. Only Deirdre actually spoke and Robert often got the sense that many women here disapproved of his occupation as a spinner. Generally it was considered women's work, weaving and tailoring also, but Robert had been taught to spin from his earliest days and it was something he was good at. Despite his father's best efforts at teaching him another trade, any other trade, Robert simply enjoyed it too much to let it go. It was his one act of rebellion and it often meant he was left alone since no one bothered him if he kept to himself. He grinned tightly and walked in, hauling the sack of woollen thread onto one of the tables and letting Deirdre inspect its contents thoroughly. She nodded absently as she unwound the first spool of thread, tugging it this way and that as she studied it carefully with her well trained eye. A smile flickered across her thin lips as she began to shake her head admiringly. She tossed her flaxen curls as she looked over at him.

"Still don' know how ye dunnit Robert, it's perfect as usual… reckon ye could spin straw ter gold if ye tried." She murmured appreciatively as she began to pack the thread away into its cabinet.

"I learnt from the best." He muttered modestly and Deirdre nodded pensively.

"How's that boy o' yours?" She asked and Robert felt a genuine smile break over his face at the mention of his beloved son.

"15 tomorrow." He murmured and nodded amusedly at Deirdre's stunned expression.

"Already? Good god, how the time's flown… seems just like yesterday when ye first brought the wee babe in here, barely more than a child yerself." Deirdre said bemusedly and smiled at him.

"You're telling me." Robert chuckled, running a hand through his hair and exhaling shortly.

"You dun good Robert, real good." She praised and Robert ducked his head bashfully as he followed her back out into the office room. Deirdre rummaged about in the coffer cask and pulled out his payment. He counted them guiltily then looked up at her warily.

"You've paid too much." He muttered and went to hand the extra silver back but Deirdre's quicksilver eyes hardened.

"Robert Anthony Gold, ye deserve every penny and more. It's yer wee lad's birthday tomorrow and ye need te take the time off te be with 'im, soon enough he'll be a man an' you'll be wondering where the 'ell all that time went." Deirdre spat bitterly and Robert's mouth snapped closed. Deirdre Owens was the wife of the town's only tailor, she'd had only one child, a son called Murdoc, who'd fallen out with his parents after running off to enlist for the war effort. The lad was subsequently killed in action not a month later, the argument had never been resolved as far as Robert knew. His death had come as a savage blow to his mother and he eyed the thin, sombrely dressed woman before him for a moment longer before reluctantly pocketing the extra money. Deirdre placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. Her clear, no nonsense gaze was the colour of gathering storm clouds over the moors and she was renown several hamlets over as a disciple of brutal honesty.

"I know ye hate busy-bodies, god knows I hate 'em, bu' everyone knows yer money's tight Robert, go get that boy a present." She ordered and Robert felt himself stiffen with embarrassment. Even though he knew it was not the woman's intention to insult him, it always stung to hear his obvious poverty announced so bluntly. Shamed sufficiently by her honesty he shouldered his bag and waved at her dismally as he left the workroom. His bag was light but his heart felt as though it were wrought of solid lead. Absent-mindedly he wandered the streets of the small town until a hoarse shout caught his attention just before he reached the outskirts and made him cringe. Please lord not today, he begged silently.

"Oi, Spindleshanks… finished with that wheel o' yers yet?" No such luck. Drawing a deep breath Robert turned to face the three men who leered at him from the doorway of the pub. His spine stiffened when he recognised Steven Harvey, who managed the local timbre factory, and his sons, Malcom and Adrian. Adrian was Bae's age and went to the local school with the lad, nothing good had ever passed between the two boys and many a time Bae had come home with a split lip and the same agonising questions… where was his mother? Why had she left? Why was he all alone? Each time Robert had managed to placate him with vague answers but someday soon he would reach an age where he'd both need and want to know, Robert was just hoping that day was a long way hence.

"Harvey." Robert murmured politely and turned away to resume his journey home, he'd put the coins with the small pile under the loose floorboard beneath the bed, they hadn't much but maybe, just maybe Bae could raise enough to move away from this hell hole.

"How's yer boy Gold? I heard he asked that girl Moraine to the dance on Friday." Steven growled and Robert shrunk away from him as he approached, hoping that no one else was around to witness this. He'd been a fool to think he'd be able to leave, encounters with the Harveys rarely ended well and besides, it had already been a miserable day. Bracing himself for the oncoming storm he knew was on its way Robert watched the hulking bear of a man approach, towering a good three feet over his own rather insubstantial height. Not so short that it was laughable but certainly slight enough that he appeared childlike beside the giant Robert was very much aware of the antagonism between himself and the manager, who'd always seen him as a lower class of human. Granted Robert's own thoughts about the man weren't all that pious but he'd never openly challenged or embarrassed the man as Harvey seemed wont to do in regards to himself.

"Please Steven…" He begged softly and the man gaffawed.

"Calm down Spindleshanks, I was just reminding yer to remember yer place and to make sure ye boy knows his… Moraine Knowles is Adrian's, got it?" Steven spat and a fleck of spit collided with Robert's cheek. Grimacing Robert wiped the smear off his cheek and immediately wished he hadn't. Steven's face turned an awful shade of puce and his hard, coal black eyes.

"What was that Spindleshanks? Think yer better than me? Think yer entitled to wipe the spit off yer face?" He growled and Robert took a fumbling step back. His back his something solid and he turned to see a crowd of people had formed a sort of semi-circle around them and was blocking his only real escape route. He looked up warily to see Steven sneering at him, his brawny knuckles cracking as he tightened them into fists.

"I think it's time ye got another lesson in respect Gold." He muttered and Robert held up his hands pleadingly.

"Steven please, I'm sorry…" He stuttered, wincing inwardly at how weak he sounded. He was a coward; a spineless, gutless coward.

"PAPA!" A lean, brown haired flash burst from the crowd and Robert groaned as Baelfire ran towards him.

"Go home Bae." He ordered as firmly as he could but everyone could hear the tremor in his voice. The crowd grew restless, like sharks drawn to blood they shoved and jostled to get a better view of the action. Bae paused and looked between his father and Steven. Much to Robert's astonishment, he seemed unafraid of the hulking giant, his honey brown eyes showing only anger. Behind him Moraine watched the spectacle with wide brown eyes, her gaze only for Bae as he straightened his shoulders and glared up at the towering man with as much bravery as he could muster. Robert was proud but also terrified for him.

"Leave my Papa alone." He ordered defensively and Robert grasped his shoulder, turning him around to face him. Leaning close he swallowed thickly.

"Bae, please go home." He begged tightly and saw Steven shaking with silent laughter.

"Oh this is jus' precious, I see the son has what the father does not… a spine." He crowed and the crowd echoed his mirth, making Robert's gut clench tightly. Humiliated yet again Robert wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and cautiously made to leave.

"That's it Spindles, run home to the wheel… maybe the boy'll bring home the bread, seems to be the only Gold worth keeping around… if he's even a Gold at all." Steven murmured and Gold felt Bae's entire body go rigid beneath his arm. He closed his eyes in anguish and placed both his hands on the boy's shoulders, peering deep into honey brown eyes that were slowly darkening with rage.

"You can't let them keep saying stuff like that." The boy muttered furiously and glared at Harvey contemptuously.

"Just let it go Bae, they aren't worth it." Robert whispered desperately, tugging fruitlessly on his son's arm.

"My Papa works three times harder than any of you… you're nothing compared to him." Bae shouted and the crowd laughed as Steven stiffened with rage, taking a step towards Bae with his fist raised threateningly. Robert immediately shoved the boy behind him, keeping his body directly between the oncoming monster and his precious child. As cowardly as he was, as spineless as all of them knew him to be, he would gladly lay down his life for Bae.

"Is that so?" Steven whispered quietly, his voice dangerously gentle after his shouting stint. Robert swallowed but stood firm.

"Nothing compared to Spindles over here? Well now boy, if you think you're Papa's so great, why don't you ask him why his own wife couldn't bear to stay with him, go on! Ask him! Ask him why a woman who'd pledged herself to him till his dying day would rather make off with a passing traveller than her own husband!" He boomed and Robert felt his heart sink, closing his eyes as the familiar pain washed over him. All the memories came flooding back but he held himself rigid before the man's amused jeer.

"Please Steven, not in front of my boy." He begged and felt Bae's eyes burning into the back of his neck. Steven laughed and waved him off.

"Not even worth it Gold. Admit it, yer nothing but a two bit spinner whose slut of a wife left because ye couldn't get a pole to rise if…" But Robert had finally had enough. Turning on his heel he grasped Bae's shoulder tightly in his and marched through the crowd, noticing how they parted like the red sea before him, drawing back as though he were some leper who'd suddenly dared enter their midst. He never looked back, not once, but he knew that the entire village watched them go, feeling the burn of their gazed on his and Baelfire's back. When they were over the next rise and finally out of sight Robert looked over at Baelfire and felt his heart shatter into a million tiny pieces. The boy's cheeks were smeared with tears but he bravely fought to keep them at bay, even as more fell to the dirt beneath their feet. In that moment Robert swore that he'd make them all pay, no matter how long it took, no matter what it took, one day these people would look at him and they would fear him… because fear was power, and power meant never having to wipe a man's spit from your face or explain the real reason your son didn't have a mother.

OoOoOoO

The next month passed by in a blur. The frigid fingers of Winter were rapidly retreating before the approach of Spring, snow no longer fell and the days were growing steadily warmer. However, there was a sobriety to the celebration of Spring and the day finally came when Calico had to take his leave of the home he'd fashioned out of the Palace. After two months of recuperation the red breasted robin was able enough to fly about the building and annoy everyone out of their minds with his incisively cheerful twittering. Thus the sad day arrived when Belle had to fare the little critter well. For a long moment Belle simply stood with the red breasted bird on her shoulder, staring out onto the busy street, then Calico chirped and spread his wings. There was a flutter of velvet soft feathers against her cheek and then, quite suddenly, he was aloft, soaring over heads and darting gracefully through the air. Belle felt her throat burn a little as she watched the arrogant little bird fly away but smiled nonetheless… now he was free to annoy all of New York. Turning back into the building she made her way across the sparkling atrium and into the kitchen. Granny was sitting with Ruby by the table, radio playing softly and a half-finished game of Gin Rummy spread out on the table. The pair spun to face her as she entered the crammed room. Belle anxiously smoothed down the light blue work dress she'd brought back with her from her Papa's house, teasing the sensible cotton as she made her way towards them.

"I've prepared your tea Belle, how did it all go?" Granny asked softly and Belle sighed sadly, reaching out to take a still warm muffin from the bunch cooling upon their rack. Granny's eyes narrowed slightly but for the most part she simply ignored this affront to culinary etiquette.

"He's gone… never thought I'd see the little man go." She murmured wearily taking large bites as she grabbed the silver tea tray firmly and hoisted it to her hip. Ruby nodded sagely, pondering her cards with a twisted lip.

"The time must come for every chick to leave the nest." She murmured solemnly and Belle whacked her friend lightly on her arm as she passed by with a grin. The brunette chuckled and winked at her.

"How long have you been working on that one for?" Belle teased and Ruby pretended to be offended. With a slender, finely manicured hand pressed to her rather well-endowed chest the bartender worked her face into a perfect expression of shock and hurt.

"Oh Grasshopper, Confucius once said that the young girl who doubts her betters will only find misery in her life." She murmured and Belle rolled her eyes playfully.

"Confucius said nothing of the sort." She retorted and Ruby giggled, tossing her dark hair primly over her smooth shoulder and checked her flawless nails.

"Go on, Gold's been too quiet and everyone knows he's always a lot happier after you've been there." Ruby said pointedly and Belle felt her cheeks flare a bright shade of crimson. Granny's eyebrows shot to the roof and Belle bit her bit gingerly. Ruby grinned triumphantly and stared at her meaningfully, a slight smirk to her lips.

"Have fun and remember… don't do anything I wouldn't." She called and Belle frowned at her heavily before stalking towards the stairs and moving up them grumpily. As she exited the room she heard Granny's frantic whispers and wondered if the older woman, who she'd begun to see as a surrogate grandmother, would approve. It would hurt her if Granny didn't but there was no time to ponder that now as she paused before Robert's door, taking a deep calming breath and trying to regain some decorum, before opening the door and stepping into the quiet room. The room was dark, he'd drawn the curtains again, but Belle could still make out his slumped figure resting over his desk. Her eyes softened and she tip-toed to the tea table by the fireplace to deliver her tray as quietly as she could. This done she moved over to him and came to kneel beside him, taking in his sleeping face with a touch of fascination. He was a very different man when he slept. All the lines on his face disappeared and all the worries he obviously carried with him in his waking hours drifted away to be replaced with a look of pure contentment. His cheek rested against his forearms, which were cross over upon the desk that he rested on and his entire body seemed to slump with exhaustion. Fascinated Belle lifted her hand unconsciously and began to card her fingers softly through the silken brown and grey strands. A sigh of contentment escaped his lips and Belle smiled widely, delighted that her actions could spur him so. She'd only caught him sleeping a handful of times over the past month, more often than not she was the one falling asleep by the fire after either re-reading her beloved Tale of Genji or watching him spin quietly from her armchair. They spent almost every evening in each other's company, talking late into the night or simply enjoying the silence in one another's arms. It was only in private mind that he allowed himself to draw her close, outside his office he seemed as cold and abrupt as he'd always been but there was a definite warmth to his gaze whenever they conversed or simply walked by each other in the halls. He was careful to never let anyone see them together, always with the same excuse of…

"It just wouldn't be right." At first Belle had been hurt, not sure if he despised his feelings for her or was simply indifferent to them. One night she'd confronted him, her mouth tightened to a thin line and her eyes hardened into blue diamonds.

"Are you ashamed of me?" She demanded, watching with hidden amusement as his face collapsed in horror.

"Never." He'd replied and she'd screwed up her nose irritably.

"Then why all this secrecy?" She'd demanded and eventually she'd been able to drag the truth from him like a spoilt child from a candy store. Part of it was, of course, status. Swallowing her bitter pill Belle had eventually realised that there were clearly some underlying issues here and the fact that he was one of the most influential men in America, let alone New York, prevented him from being publically involved with his housekeeper. Sent reeling with hurt Belle had almost stormed from the room to pack her bags but he'd caught her and held her close, desperate to make her see.

"It's too dangerous. An unfortunate side effect of the life I lead means that I have too many people who'd rather see you hurt then not and I won't let them hurt you, I can't let them hurt you Belle." The words had tumbled from his mouth, obviously before he could stop them, but they had the desired effect and Belle had immediately stopped struggling. Instead she'd buried her face into his chest and silently promised to figure it all out one day. Interestingly enough the first time he'd asked permission to hold her had fractured her heart more than the idea of him being uncomfortable with a public relationship with her. He'd been so hesitant and tender she'd had a hard time placing the man she knew to be Robert Gold with the man who she now loved. Yes, loved. Over the last month it had become impossible to deny her affection for him eventually she'd simply given in and admitted to herself that what she felt her employer extended beyond anything she'd ever felt before. Sometimes, when they were sitting together before the glowing fire on a cold night and Belle was sheltered in his embrace sometimes she would feel the muscles of her lower abdomen jerk, not uncomfortably mind, but enough to make her gasp. He would tense and it would take many minutes for the atmosphere to settle comfortably, partly because he felt he'd harmed her in some way and partly because she was too embarrassed to tell him the cause. As it was, her ministrations had affected him far more than she'd realised. Drawn back to the present Belle was horrified to see that Robert's face was twisted in agony, low moans escaping his lips as whatever it was that he saw tormented him. She anxiously began to run soothing fingers through his hair again, murmured to him softly as he twitched drowsily.

"Bae…" A soft whispered leaked from his mouth as she tried to bring him out of his nightmare. Belle froze and her eyes filled with tears.

"Bae…" This time his voice was louder, stronger and Belle couldn't mistake the name. Bae… Baelfire, his son, the son that no one talked about.

"Robert, wake up." She pleaded, unable to watch his torment any longer.

"Darling, it's just a dream… it's only a dream." She continued softly, carding her fingers lovingly through his hair again.

"Wake up Robert." She begged and waited breathlessly as he stirred sleepily, his amber eyes flickered open to peer around in momentary confusion. She met his gaze and his lips twitched upwards momentarily, making her smile widely.

"There now, that's better right?" She asked and ran her hand through his hair once more. He stiffened and the room was filled with the harsh screech of his chair being dragged back across the hardwood floor. Belle fell back on her rump at the unexpected movement and gazed up at him in shock as he threw himself out of the chair, grabbed his cane and stalk to the window, throwing the curtains wide to glare out over the Hudson.

"Robert?" She whispered and sighed when he ignored her, his face a stony mask. Swallowing thickly Belle tried to back track slightly. Damn the man and his insufferable pride.

"I brought our tea but you fell asleep again… I've told you before that you need to sleep more otherwise…" She said stiltedly but only trailed off when he quirked a brow at her wryly. Sighing she grabbed the edge of the desk and eased herself up, rubbing her abused posterior and glaring at him defiantly. Evidently he was opposed to the distraction technique, how annoying, and so Belle sighed theatrically and turned on her heel to move back to the tea table. Aware of his burning gaze on her back she carefully poured their morning tea, deliberately avoiding his wary gaze as she spooned the appropriate amounts of sugar into each cup before adding her milk and his lemon. It was times like this she'd have to be subtle, his walls were harder to breech than a castle's and she'd had to tread carefully to bring them down enough for him to talk. Determined to wait out his temper tantrum she let the delicate china sit for a moment, cooling the tea sufficiently before sitting down in her chair and taking a fortifying sip... only to wince at her own concoction. As much as she followed her perfected technique, only Robert seemed to make the brew a pleasurable experience in painted china. Silence reigned through the room until finally Belle reached the end of her patience.

"Who is Bae?" She asked, deciding to bite the proverbial bullet and get it over with. Lord knew how curious she was, since the moment she'd found out he'd had a son she'd wanted to ask but either no one even knew he had a son or those who did refused to talk about him.

"He's your son Balefire isn't he?" She murmured and flinched as Robert's deliberate footfalls approached her. He slowly knelt before her and grasped her chin roughly in his hand, she felt the first stirrings of unease when his eyes appeared to resemble little more than glittering shards of onyx. Gone was the amber eyed gentleman and in his place a hardened man she barely recognised.

"How do you know of Baelfire?" He demanded tautly, his voice deceptively soft. Belle drew a deep breath and tugged her chin from his grasp.

"I've been here a few months now and in the bedrooms on this floor, there's clothing, old and untouched as though for younger man…" She said and pondered her half-truth guiltily.

"There are whispers that he was your son… was there a son?" She asked suddenly, aware that she really only had hearsay and his tiny allowance from just now to go upon. Partly because she hated gossip, and partly because of some reason unbeknownst to her conscious mind, she needed to hear the truth from Robert's own lips… no matter how much they trembled with apparent fury. She braced herself for the shouting match that she was sure he'd divulge into, trying to maintain eye contact even though her insides were fair shaking with terror. As wonderful as their relationship was, at times it was as if two fires met to constantly wage war against one another, whenever something either said or did pricked their stubborn pride. Their fights were almost as frequent and infamous as their stolen kisses. Both had, it would seem, volatile tempers that slid easily into the open when pressured to do so. Belle had found it best to face his, just as he found it best to run from hers. Suddenly, almost a rapidly as they had darkened, the darkness in his eyes left and he slumped back slightly, taking the slowly cooling tea cup with its chipped edge and seemingly lost for words. She slid from the chair and settled upon the floor beside him. Tentatively she slid one of her hands up his thigh, innocently resting it just above his bad knee. It was also another thing he refused to talk about but Belle had enough troubles now to kick that particular thought to the back of her mind.

"Please Robert… trust me… as I trust you." She begged desperately and that startled him enough to glance at her in shock. Biting her lip she inched closer and gazed down at his whitened knuckles, which were wrapped around his chipped china cup as though it were the only thing keeping him alive. His own gaze flickered downwards and she gazed at his handsome profile expectantly.

"There was a son, I lost him… like I did his mother." He relented finally and Belle felt a single tear seep from the corner of her eye and trail down her cheek, her heart bruising as she gazed sympathetically upon a hurting man. _Her_ hurting man. Momentarily unable to speak she lifted a hand and traced his cheek delicately. He reached up and entwined his fingers amongst hers.

"And since then, you have loved no one and… no one has loved you?" She murmured and Robert's head snapped up to peer at her warily, even though he leaned unconsciously into her palm.

"Perhaps…" He muttered and frowned, reaching out to wipe away the stray tear upon her cheek with his thumb, staring at the crystalline droplet in what appeared to be awe.

"Why do you cry for me Belle, an old monster like me?" He asked dazedly. Her gut clenched painfully and another tear leaked from her eye.

"Don't you think you're worth it?" She murmured and slowly reached forward to clasp both his cheeks tenderly, pressing her lips hesitantly to the corner of his mouth in a touch as soft as a butterfly's wing. He moaned softly, a sound that seemed to note both his eagerness and his amazement. Encouraged Belle gently shifted her lips away from that spot, emboldened by his responses. Cautiously she pressed a series of kisses around his beloved face, first his cheeks, then his forehead, both his eyelids then, finally, his lips. He clutched her to him like a drowning man, hungrily devouring her mouth in a frenzied kiss. Belle relaxed into his grasp and wrapped her arms around his neck, her cup falling with a loud clatter to the floor as the overwhelming feeling of Robert's kisses teased her senses. She arched into him, muscles fluttering and jerking deep within her as he trailed his hands down her slim shoulders, across her neck and up to tangle his lean fingers through her hair. In a move that was both earth-shatteringly gentle and firm he wrenched her head back, exposing her neck and a smooth flurry of open-mouthed kisses wound their way across her skin to the sensitive junction of her neck and shoulder. He let out a sound that stirred her blood, a feral kind of groan that accompanied his frenzied attack on that spot. As his teeth came down on her skin she let out a breathless sigh, her abdomen seemingly about to explode with built up anticipation. Unfortunately, as always, such a sound only elicited a rapid back pedal from him. The sound, as soft as it was, made him freeze and slowly move away from her, drawing into himself as though he was afraid to touch her again. Subsequently Belle drew away, the familiar ache settling in her heart as she bit her lip to prevent herself from crying. A month ago he would have too nervous to take the moment so far, their first attempt at kissing had ended so poorly he'd only permitted himself light touches for the first week or so until Belle simply got sick of it and began making her own way into territory that she was vastly unused to. Her fumbling, niave attempts to seduce him only seemed to make him more anxious, many times she'd been pushed away or he himself had lunged away from her as though bitten by a snake whenever the moment got a little too heated for his tastes, leaving her rather bereft and filled with an emotion she couldn't quite name. It seemed to be a case of constant two steps forward, one step back… and it was becoming gradually more clear that she would have to be the brave one here, much like her mother had warned. That had been a month ago, an entire month of which Belle was entirely unsure of what he wanted of her. One moment he seemed unable to keep his hands off her and the next he backed off, almost forbidding himself to touch her in the way she wanted him too. Her gaze fell on the tipped cup and she gasped.

"Dammit." She breathed and reached to try and clean the spill with one of the napkins on the breakfast tray. His soft chuckle made her look up irritably.

"Oh of course you laugh, it's not your job to clean up a thousand little messes." She grumbled and pouted when he let out a much louder shout of laughter.

"Well dearie, you were distracted." He teased and Belle exhaled sharply. Red faced with embarrassment she stood and began to slam the tea things back on the tray, whirling away on her heel to stalk to the door like the high society girl she'd long ago swore she'd never become.

"Belle!" Robert called and she paused, her hand on the door handle.

"What do you want?" She asked quietly, the air suddenly becoming too thick to breathe as both of them understood the weight of her question. She kept her head turned away but couldn't hold back the sniff that escaped her as more tears began to fall. Angrily she wiped them away and took a deep breath.

"You either want to play or you don't." She accused lightly and straightened her shoulders, still unable to look at him.

"I can't do this forever Robert… like me or not just tell me, just… don't play with my affections because it hurts too damn much." She said and gasped internally at her slight swear usage. Shaking her head she went to open the door but was stopped by a muttered curse from the fireplace.

"Belle don't do this, please." She begged and she turned to face him in a blinding fury.

"Me? What have I done Robert? Tell me so I can fix it, so I can make this work because god only knows that it seems like too much of an effort for you to touch me." She spat viciously and watched as he wilted slightly, his eyes dropping to the floor as he struggled to make a response.

"I love you." She said suddenly and he flinched.

"Don't say-"

"The truth? Jesus Christ Robert! All I want from you is a little sign that you at least want this as much as I do. You don't have to love me, but you must know that I do!" She bellowed and took a sick sense of satisfaction in the way he drew back, stunned. She nodded tersely and turned once more to leave but as she went to step through a hand closed on her wrist. How he had moved so fast on his leg astounded her and looking back she saw he was wincing with effort to not collapse. Guilty when she had all right to be angry Belle closed her eyes, unable to see the pleading look in his soft brown eyes. Dammit why couldn't he just get angry, it was easier to stay mad at an angry man.

"Belle, dearie please look at me." He murmured and Belle opened her eyes timidly. He cupped her face tenderly and pressed his mouth to hers softly. The tea tray rattled in her hands as she fought to stem the tide of emotions that flooded through her. No, she wouldn't weaken, not till he told her what he wanted. She broke away harshly.

"No Robert, you can't keep doing that!" She said softly.

"You can't just kiss me and make me forget, it doesn't work like that." She said and he sighed, nodding.

"You're right… you deserve so much better Belle." He muttered and turned away to limp heavily back to where his cane lay abandoned on the hardwood floor.

"I don't want better Robert, I just want you… but you refuse to see it and its going to break both our hearts." She said quietly and the room finally fell silent. Both were drained, emotionally and physically. Belle ran a hand over her face, tucking her hair behind her ears and trying to make herself look respectable again.

"I love you Robert." She whispered and turned away for the final time. Ruby. She needed to talk to Ruby.

_OoOoOoO_

"And stay out!" The grey haired man ordered, flinging the drunken lout from his premises without a backwards glance to check on his condition. Muttering about trouble makers the older man stalked back inside and Gaston gingerly picked himself up from the frigid pavement, his head swimming and his body aching from countless nights spent under the stars. For an entire month he'd wandered New York, friendless in his quest to retrieve the bitch that was most certainly his. How dare the little slut treat him like this? How dare she cry foul when all he'd done this whole time was seek to rid her of the loathsome monster she worked for? Oh no, now he hated her, hated her more than he'd lusted for her and to his surprise the idea of marrying her held more appeal now than ever before. As his wife she'd be bound to obey, to surrender to his ever will and whim… and the first thing he'd do is give her little mouth something to really wrap itself around. He felt himself grow hard at the thought and snickered loudly, staggering drunkenly down the street to the park he'd found refuge in for the last month. She's always been far too outspoken, always with her head in the clouds or in those blasted books. That reading would have to be brought to heel. She'd always been in those damned things when in fact she should have been thinking about more important things, like himself. The appeal of their marriage lay in both her extraordinary beauty and the idea of crushing every last spark of spirit from her, given time they'd be a great pair and Regina or no Regina Gaston would have his revenge on both Belle de Boire and that bastard Gold. He remembered bitterly how she'd almost clung to the man that night of her birthday, how the man's gaze had strayed towards Belle far too many times for it to be polite. He remembered how angry the man had seemed and knew there was weakness to exploit in the great Mr Gold. If he loved, or cared for Belle even in the slightest, then there would be nothing to stop him from bedding the slut. He was a man with power and women were inheritably drawn to power, and since Gaston had seen her dancing it was probably safe to assume the girl's morals had slipped enough for her to bed animals and monsters. To his surprise Gaston almost felt sorry for the girl. Moreso for her father but the slightest twinge of remorse for his now fallen angel. He shook it off with the promise that, if she'd given herself to the monster, if she'd done that disgusting act with the bastard, he'd wait just long enough for her to give him a son then he'd kill her. Chuckling darkly he stumbled off into the night, biding his time.

**Alrighty so the ending was a little angsty but I swear that next chapter is going to be humorous, fluffy and smutty. Gaston will make his stand in the next chapter so bear with it. I'm getting sick of him so I'll find some way for Gold to get rid of him, ideas are always welcome. Please forgive me for my long time between chapters but exams have been a bitch and I needed all the concentration I could spare. I hope this was as good as the others, send me reviews to tell me what you think and all my love dearies. **


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

**Is there any way I can express how sorry I am for the long wait? No? Okay –hides shamefully- I am still so sorry for the length of time between this chapter and the last. Life got in the way but as I promised, this chapter contains the goodies you have all been begging me for weeks now and so without further ado, I present for you viewing pleasure… chapter 20!**

Belle knew instinctively that the rest of the day was going to drag on slower than a funeral procession… she had never been so angry with Robert in all the time she had known him but unless he was made to see just how upset she was, things would continue as they were and their relationship would never get anywhere. So, after about an hour of careful deliberation, Belle decided to throw caution to the wind and seek out the only person she could think of who could help.

"Ruby, do you have a minute?" She asked tentatively as she re-entered the kitchen, the silver tea tray slamming down on the sturdy counter as her lips quivered with the effort to keep from crying. She compressed them into a tight line and began to calmly sort the breakfast things to give her hands something to do apart from fret the material of her dress. To her relief, Granny was nowhere to be seen, however the unfinished game of solitaire across from Ruby suggested that she would return soon enough. Leaping to her feet, Ruby ran across the room towards her after a single glance at her face, her own features creasing with concern as she looked Belle up and down sceptically.

"What's he done now?" She demanded furiously, grasping Belle's arm gently and peering earnestly into her face as though searching for some physical sign of her problem. Belle actually managed to laugh, despite the situation, partly amazed at her friend's inert ability to immediately damn their employer for whatever trouble happened to raise its head at the Palace. Apparently Robert was the soul of discourse and thus it was Ruby's quest in life to fight his evil influence and restore the peace, or so she said. Shaking herself from such thoughts Belle clenched her fists around the edge of the counter; entirely unsure as to how best she could broach the subject on her mind. Ruby saw her dilemma and smiled brightly.

"It's a lovely day outside, why don't we head out to the market?" She suggested blithely and Belle nodded eagerly. The further they were from the Palace, the easier it would be to discuss her dilemma. Since it was warm, neither stopped to take their cloaks but Ruby, true to form, weaved a crimson ribbon through her dark hair to keep the thick velvety mane semi-tamed in the gradually increasing heat. Together they stepped out into the blazing sunshine, Ruby with her grocery basket over the crook of her left elbow and their arms casually linked as they made their way leisurely towards the market district. People passed by in a sunlit blur and Belle turned her face towards the sun, relishing the sensation of warmth that now caressed her skin. Robert had made it clear to her that, since their original contract had officially ended when she returned from his week-long dismissal, she was free to come and go as she pleased. Her home here was always open to her and Belle was pleased to know that she still had somewhere permanent to sleep. She hadn't spoken to her Papa in weeks. Even though it felt strange, almost wrong, not to hear from her beloved father, Belle was still extremely hurt by his harsh words. Furthermore, since he still hadn't extended the proverbial olive branch to seek some sort of reconciliation, Belle wasn't about to damage her own pride and counteract her decision to defend her new life by conceding just yet. Still, the whole arrangement was miserable and Belle had a hard time shaking off her despondency whenever she let her thoughts dwell upon that problem for too long. At least, with Robert's new arrangements, she now had more time to enjoy the pleasures of New York. She still didn't get out as much as she would wish, feeling terribly guilty whenever she returned from a day out to see Ashley or Mary Margret doing her allotted chores. She had brought the matter up with Robert and, after a long discussion, had managed to gain a concession from him. She would fix his tea every day and she was free to do any chores that she fancied needed doing… but only on every odd day. Today happened to be an even day, so Ashley would be seeing to her menial tasks but tomorrow Belle would be grateful to get back to work, it gave her something to do whenever Robert was out or in one of his more taciturn moods. Shaking herself from such thoughts Belle forced herself to enjoy the moment as she and Ruby travelled in pleasant silence for a few more blocks. It was all they could manage before Ruby's curiosity obviously got too much for her and her hand tightened minutely on Belle's arm.

"So what's the problem this time?" She asked in a tone that made Belle frown at the filthy pavement at their feet, split in places and covered in a layer of gum and mud. Suddenly, the beautiful day didn't seem quite so wonderful.

"What do you mean 'this time'?" She asked defensively and Ruby shrugged innocently. She winked flirtatiously at a passing man, who flushed a deep shade of crimson as his wife glared murderously over her shoulder at them, before readjusting the basket over her arm.

"Don't shoot me Belle! You're the one who decided to step out with New York City's most volatile man, can I help but comment on what I see? You two are passionately in love one moment, something that still confuses me, and the next you're at each other's throats… it's to be expected." She said primly and Belle tucked her hair behind her ear nervously, glancing around to see if anyone had heard their conversation. Thankfully, there was no one in ear shot to hear Ruby's tactless words and so she rounded on her friend, glaring at the detached brunette.

"Please keep your voice down Ruby!" She demanded hoarsely and grimaced as her best friend simply rolled her eyes irritably.

"He shouldn't do this to you." Ruby argued stalwartly, gripping Belle's arm a little more tightly than was strictly necessary as they passed by a group of children with big eyes and nimble fingers. Now it was Belle's turn to roll her eyes.

"Ruby we've been over this, he's just being protective… he's got a lot of enemies." She reminded the brunette sensibly and lifted her eyebrows as her companion merely scowled blackly at the sparkling blue sky.

"As true as that is, it's not as though anyone would be stupid enough to try and hurt you. You're Mr Gold's girl… possibly the safest person in the damned city." Ruby retorted tersely, earning a disbelieving snort from Belle.

"He doesn't seem to think so." She said but Ruby waved her free hand airily.

"He's got eyes and ears everywhere Belle, he owns just about every building in New York and, if you listen to the rumour mill, he's got one or two contacts in the government he's been manipulating for the last couple of years." She muttered darkly and Belle took a deep breath to fortify her resolve, shocked at how little she truly knew about the man she loved. He never told her much about what he did. He seemed at loath to involve her in that world and listening to Ruby's information she wondered if he was trying to protect her or simply serving his own sense of self preservation. She hoped it was the first; a little trust would be lovely.

"Ruby I told you, we don't talk about those things." Belle reminded her sharply and scowled at Ruby's eye roll.

"Then can you honestly trust him Belle?" She asked simply and Belle opened her mouth to speak, only to clamp it closed when she could find nothing to argue with.

"I can only try Ruby." She murmured softly, smoothing the delicate bracelet that still hung around her right wrist. The plain woollen bracelet all but glittered like gold in the sun and Belle smiled, remembering the times when they'd sit, not touching or even speaking to one another, for hours on end while he spun. The repetitive motion of the wheel was a comforting new lullaby to Belle as she read quietly by the fireplace, as much as it seemed to soothe him after long or tiresome days. The outside world was unimportant in those cherished moments, they were happy and that was all that mattered. Evidently Ruby was of a different mind.

"Any man would be honoured to have you as his girl Belle yet Gold seems to all but hide from the fact… it's like he's ashamed or something." She muttered carelessly, flicking a stray piece of lint off her dress as Belle felt her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. She stumbled slightly on nothing and Ruby's quick glance towards her made the pretty brunette blanch with horror. She pulled them to a sudden stop and grasped Belle's arm tightly.

"Oh god Belle I'm sorry, I didn't mean… I wasn't trying to suggest that… ah Jesus… I'm sure that's not how it is!" She stammered but Belle bit her lip miserably. Ruby's words only mirrored what Belle herself had been thinking.

"Do you honestly think he _could_ be ashamed of me?" She asked worriedly and Ruby moaned in despair.

"Don't listen to me Belle, this is the happiest I've seen the bastard in all the time I've known him. You. Are. Special. To. Him." Ruby said firmly, taking Belle by the shoulders and shaking her slightly with each enunciated word. Belle tried not to let her misery show but couldn't quiet hold the tears back.

"It's just, sometimes it's like he wants to do something more then he draws away and I can't reach him Ruby, he won't let me touch him or talk about it." She muttered dejectedly and Ruby drew her in for a quick hug before releasing her and guiding them over to one of the benches situated inside the park they had just entered. They were some distance from other people and after a small scouring of the area Belle felt herself relax. She wiped at her cheeks stubbornly, loathing it when she cried, and sat up straighter. Ruby seemed to be pondering something, her face rather vacant as she stared out over the sea of grass before them.

"Is this while he's kissing you?" She asked slowly and Belle frowned, nodding slowly but unsure of how to respond.

"And you say he's drawing away?" Ruby murmured, tapping her lips with the tip of her index finger thoughtfully. Again Belle nodded, not seeing where this was going.

"Oh Belle, you had to pick the hidden gentleman didn't you?" Ruby muttered bemusedly, all her prior rage completely gone, and Belle quirked a brow curiously at her friend who laughed and slouched back scandalously against the wooden seat.

"I don't understand…" She muttered and Ruby smirked.

"Belle, how much do you know about sex?" She asked boldly and Belle coughed, flushing a violent shade of crimson as Ruby began to cackle.

"The basics I suppose and other things… I've probably learnt more about it from dancing here than I'll ever need to." Belle muttered quietly, looking around desperately for prying ears, and Ruby smiled gently.

"Your Mumma ever teach you about what was expected?" She asked kindly and Belle inhaled deeply.

"Ruby, where are you going with this?" She demanded, affronted now that the initial embarrassment was over. It wasn't decent to discuss such things, especially in public. Ruby grasped Belle's hand and squeezed it affectionately. Although she had cackled before her eyes held nothing but kindness.

"I think you two are going to be just fine." She said cheerfully and Belle couldn't help but glare her confusion, her brows furrowing into a small frown. Ruby giggled and waved off her glower offhandedly.

"You keep that expression on your face when the wind changes and it'll stay that way forever. I can almost guarantee that your precious Mr Gold wouldn't have such a hard time stopping himself from dishonouring you then." She crowed teasingly and Belle's blush returned in full force. Was that why he kept drawing away? He was holding himself back because of… propriety? Her mouth fell open.

"What?" She gasped and Ruby nodded idly, her expression pensive.

"I think he's just too afraid to take you, you do know what I mean…"  
"Yes I know what you mean by that!" Belle interrupted irritably, she wasn't completely naive of what went on between a man and a woman. She had always been an extensive reader. She knew the mechanics of intercourse of course and, after years of governesses and instruction, how a proper lady should behave to attract the good kind of attention from men. She had always been warned off about those behaviours that attracted rouges and scandal but, oh yes, she knew what bad men wanted and how women could behave to entice them. Her two months at the Palace had served as an eye opening experience as well, whatever fairy-tale fantasies she'd held from reading romances faded a little after hearing about horrid escapades from the other dancers and seeing the boorish behaviour of most of the clients.

"I am aware of the mechanics Ruby." Belle muttered tightly and Ruby smiled.

"Don't listen to those girls back at work, they're just sore because they have to endure clients who don't give two dimes about their pleasure. You've got Gold and, if his behaviour is anything to go by, you've got yourself a man who will try to put your pleasure ahead of his own... which is rarer than it sounds." She said and polished her nails against her blouse, smiling slightly as though listening in to a private joke Belle wasn't privy to.

"But women aren't meant to enjoy sex." Belle argued and Ruby stared at her in shock.

"Who told you that?" She asked incredulously and Belle flushed.

"My last governess." She muttered causing Ruby's brow to furrow curiously.

"You had a governess?" She demanded and Belle sighed, wishing she could have avoided this particular conversation. Life had been so much better when people had thought her similar to them, telling people of her past usually made them treat her differently, for better or worse.

"My Papa was quite the inventor before the Crash, he and my Mumma used to socialise in the upper-middle class circles of New York until people lost faith in investment and all his work came to nothing. My Mumma's inheritance lasted only long enough to pay off our capital debts then we were thrown out onto the streets." Belle said and Ruby gasped.

"Didn't they have friends?" She asked and Belle smiled thinly.

"Friends care about what happens to you, not about the ends of your business ventures. In the upper class, you either have family connections or business associates, my father ran out of both and thus we ended up in the Bronx." Belle finished softly and began to twist her fingers together in her lap.

"So your governess told you women don't enjoy sex?" Ruby returned to their original conversation with little contrition. Belle nodded, unable to meet her gaze.

"Well that's bullshit." Ruby muttered and Belle laughed at her unexpected curse. Ruby frowned out into the park thoughtfully.

"Well now, you know the mechanics, which is a blessing, but you need to understand that, if done right, sex becomes something wonderful for the both of you, man and woman… just as long as you have a man who cares about you." Ruby murmured, her eyes lost somewhere else.

"My Granny once told me that there are three kinds of men in the world, the good ones that treat you right and bring you joy, the ones that mean well but still have to be taught a few things and the ones who will never ever learn because their chauvinistic pigs with sadistic tendencies." Ruby said stoically and Belle tilted her head to stare at her. It sounded like something Granny would say after a few gins but it was more venomous than that and the stark pain in Ruby's gaze made Belle's breath catch in her throat.

"You lost someone." She breathed and Ruby nodded, closing her eyes tightly.

"It was a long time ago now but yes, his name was Peter and we were engaged. One night, when we were walking together by the river, we were attacked. Two men jumped us and killed him, right in front of me… just to prove that they could. I was so scared, he kept saying everything was going to be alright, right up until they slit his throat… then they turned their attentions to me." Ruby said her voice deadened as she recounted the horrors of that night over in her head. Belle felt her stomach drop like a concrete brick.

"I won't tell you everything about that night, I don't want to frighten you, but I will tell you that afterwards I killed one of them and the other was prepared to kill me right then. If Mr Gold hadn't come along at that moment I would have died that night, I have his protection now but that doesn't mean I like the bastard all that much… he can still be a bully." Ruby muttered and Belle wrapped her arms around her friend's neck. They were silent for a while then Belle drew back and smiled.

"What kind of a man do you think Robert is?" She asked. Still a little shaken by her friend's confession, and Ruby frowned slightly.

"Mr Gold? Hard to say since he's so private… my best guess would be the middle one, he's not going for gold if you'll pardon my phrase, but you could always teach him what to do." Ruby said and Belle blushed, imagining herself trying to seduce him. All her past attempts had been complete failures and she was at loath to try again.

"I couldn't…" Belle protested and spared a sideways glance towards her friend to flinch at Ruby's bemused expression.

"You? Scared? I find it hard to believe." Ruby murmured and Belle stared at her in shock.

"Belle you came here of your own free will when anyone else would have run screaming for the hills." Ruby said sternly and Belle bit her lip tentatively.

"You took the fall for Ashley when she needed you to, regardless of the consequences. You brought the most feared man in all of New York to his knees then proceeded to date the man, damning what anyone else had to say on the matter straight to hell. Not to mention that fact that you yell at said man as though it doesn't matter. You are brave Belle, you only get so many chances at happiness so why are you letting this one go?" Ruby continued avidly and Belle ducked her head shame-facedly.

"What if he just laughs at me, I mean I've no experience in any of this. I'm not sexy like you or beautiful like Mary Margret or sweet like Ashley. What if I fail and he…" Belle was stopped by Ruby's finger over her lips.

"You're overthinking it, this kind of stuff happens spur of the moment… wait for the opportunity to present itself then pounce on it." She ordered and stood.

"Come on, we've still got to go to the market, regardless of how much I'm enjoying this chat." She teased and Belle rolled her eyes. Together they stood and re-linked their arms. Strolling leisurely from the park, they didn't notice the man who followed them, or the shadow that trailed further behind.

_OoOoOoO_

"Fish or chicken?" Belle asked and Ruby screwed up her nose.

"Chicken, fish smells." She muttered darkly as Belle smirked and paid the butcher for his produce. The man complimented her choice and proffered a ridiculous price Belle knew was brought about by this god forsaken depression. Knowing she couldn't blame him for making a living she nodded and she thanked him as he wrapped the meat in brown paper before handing it to her politely. The two women wandered further into the colourful market and Belle smiled widely as the familiar aroma of oranges reached her nose. Seeking its source she spotted a flash of bright colour beneath a flickering wire of Chinese paper lanterns, many different shades of yellow. She tugged Ruby over to where an old woman sat beside its table of fruit; a whole host of oranges, lemons and apples gracing the spotless table cloth as the two young women inspected them carefully. Belle sent her friend a pleading glance and Ruby shook her head bemusedly, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Why not, Gold's paying for it." She muttered and the old woman was paid handsomely for the beautiful fruit. Ruby's attention was caught and she wandered off to explore a rack of glimmering ear rings so Belle finished up with the fruit shopping. She was just placing the last glistening orange into Ruby's wicker basket when a large hand clamped down painfully on her elbow. She whirled around with a gasp and tried to back away when her startled gaze met Gaston's burning glare. Tall and covered in a grimy layer of filth Gaston seemed miles away from the man she'd last seen on her birthday. Gone was the elegant and chivalrous man from her street, now all she could see was a vengeful, staggering drunk with a pay load to burn. Belle cried out and tried to wrench her arm from his grasp. Several store owners looked their way in alarm.

"Hey there little Belle, where are you off to in such a hurry?" He asked candidly, batting away her hands as though they were harmless butterflies and not handfuls of nails eager to tear his skin apart.

"Let go of me Gaston." She ordered fiercely and he laughed.

"What's this? Can't stand me can you? Eager to play paramour for that monster?" He shouted, drawing the attention of everyone within ear shot. Belle desperately began to tear at his arm, unable to take the curious stares.

"Gaston let go of my arm please." She begged but he simply laughed, brushing off the now furious Ruby as though she weighed nothing. Tumbling to the ground the brunette's shoulder caught the edge of a table and she knocked over a nearby stall as all hell suddenly broke loose in the tightly packed marketplace. Pandemonium broke out as people staggered about and more tables were turned in the confusion. Angry and frightened shrieks cropped up all around and Belle felt herself being dragged away through the roiling crowds and, most worryingly of all, away from Ruby. As she lost sight of the brunette Belle dug in her heels and grasped at anything that appeared solidly linked to the floor in order to stall their journey.

"NO!" She screamed and many turned to watch, some starting forward to assist her.

"What am I not good enough for you anymore Belle? You've got your precious Mr Gold now so why would you need me huh?" Gaston bellowed and Belle felt her gut clench.

"Gaston stop it." She ordered but he simply sneered.

"Sorry, I would listen to you but you've sunk so low it's not worth the bother." He spat and Belle flinched, stung by his words. How could he think that way? She'd done nothing to deserve this.

"I can't believe you'd rather be Gold's little whore then my wife Belle." Gaston snarled and Belle's palm collided with his cheek.

"Better his whore then your wife!" She screamed and clapped a hand over her lips as the words left her mouth before she could stop them. Horrified Belle felt a thousand stares burn into her back and, looking around warily, saw everyone within ear shot had heard Gaston's thoughtless, hurtful words and then her own admission. She tried to beseech them with her eyes but the only response she now received was disgust. The stares became vengeful and Belle realised that no one was going to help her now; they may even applaud Gaston actions.

"Robert forgive me." She whispered and as Gaston went to draw her away once more bit down on his arm as hard as she could. Her small, sharp teeth broke the skin and drew blood. His grip loosened as he staggered back with a curse and clutched at his arm. Belle pulled away and saw him glaring at her through blood shot eyes. He was filthy and blind drunk. He lunged for her and Belle reacted on pure instinct. Her foot collided hard with the tender region just below his waist and he buckled with a low groan, sinking to the floor. Belle felt her nose crinkle with disgust as she turned tail and stumbled back into the crowd, people parting like the red sea before her. No one would touch her now. In a panic she heard Gaston begin to stumble after her. She hitched her skirts slightly and quickened her pace, fighting tears when she saw the hate in everyone's eyes.

"Ruby!" She called out and her friend's responding yells drew her closer to the orange stand.

"Belle!" They collided in a tangle of limbs and Belle threw herself into her friend's embrace.

"Are you alright? He didn't hurt you did he?" Ruby demanded and Belle shook her head. Order was slowly being restored and Belle made her way over to where their basket had been abandoned moments before. She picked it up, smiling when she saw the eggs they'd purchased hadn't even cracked in the chaos. A low whispering caught her attention but she was too late to respond as a whistling filled the air and something connected with the side of her face with an ugly splatter. Rigid with shock Belle turned stiltedly, bringing a hand to her face as she met Ruby's horrified expression. Drawing her fingers away she saw the remnants of a tomato sliding from her fingers into the dirt.

"Run away little girl… run back to your Mr Gold." An unseen voice called and the crowd went silent, watching her expectantly. She looked around and saw the same dull, hateful expression in each of their gazes. She swallowed heavily and drew herself up to her full height. She then bent to grasp the basket at her feet before lacing it over the crook of her arm and lifting her chin defiantly. Do the brave thing and bravery would follow. Belle sighed softly and looked Ruby dead in the eye. In silent agreement the girls turned almost in unison and made their way through the tomb-like market place. People avoided them like the plague, drawing away from them as though they were carriers of some vile contagion. Ruby's hand clutched at hers but Belle shook her head slightly. She had to show these people she didn't care what they thought. Walking proudly out of the markets with tomato juice running down her chest and sticking to her hair Belle de Boire smiled to the sky and hoped to high heaven that the Palace had a bath somewhere.

_OoOoOoO_

Regina smiled wickedly as the girl walked away from the stunned crowd. She carefully pocketed the other rotten tomato she'd had at the ready; there was really no need for it now. The damage was done. Belle de Boire was now officially friendless and in a matter of hours she would be a social leper in New York City with no support except that given to her by Robert Gold. The interesting thing about this would be if the man gave it to her, if he stood by her or let her go to save his cowardly hide. If he didn't then Regina had merely miscalculated upon the word of a dreaming boy, no harm no foul. But if he did, oh if he did. The almighty Mr Gold would be proven to have a weakness… and Regina Mills was a stickler for exploiting her enemies' weaknesses.

_OoOoOoO_

The boy never stood a chance. The moment he'd touched Belle again was the moment his death warrant had been signed. This time Robert didn't even put up a fight in letting the Dark One take control, instead he'd dropped the cane that had now became a burden and stalked his pathetic prey as the drunk staggered away from the market and into a deserted alleyway. Mumbling darkly to himself the boy didn't even hear him coming, turning too late to stop the blow that sent him flying into the wall where his head cracked sickeningly against the brickwork. The Dark One sneered at the boy, holding him by his collar and forcing their faces close together.

"You touched her dearie… you shouldn't have done that." He muttered murderously and hoisted the man easily off his feet to drag him senselessly towards the nearest pier.

**What are you going to do with him? **Robert demanded, fuming helplessly in the background of his own mind as his counterpart carried Gaston through the narrow lanes towards the river.

_Dispose of the trash. _The Dark One replied simply and for once Robert's sense of self-preservation refused to kick in. Usually he detested getting his hands dirty. It had been a long time since any of his more nefarious actions had garnered attention from the law enforcement agencies of New York however this was the man who'd hurt Belle, who'd blown their cover and probably made her a social outcast for the rest of her life. The price he would now pay was nothing less than what he deserved.

"Where are you taking me?" The brute groaned and Rum giggled childishly.

"Only where you'll be staying forever dearie… I think you need some new shoes." He announced and giggled when Gaston tried to loosen his grip.

"It's no use, I'm far stronger than you. Call for help and I'll crush your wind pipe." The malicious sprite informed him cheerfully and all but skipped out onto the creaking wooden boards of a deserted pier. Hurling the man to his hands and knees the Dark One dealt him a stunning kick to the mid-drift, which flattened the boy and gave both inhabitants of Robert's body a fulfilling sense of satisfaction.

**I think you're enjoying this too much.**

_Who me? Never. _

**You have my leave.**

_I never asked… but thank you. _

**You can do what I can't. **As much as Robert hated to admit it, it was the truth and both of them knew it. The Dark One sat down and waited for Gaston to catch his breath, crossing his ankle over his knee and resting his chin on his pointed fingers thoughtfully. When the lad had recovered sufficient breath he turned, obviously ready to hurl himself at them, until his brain registered who he was actually dealing with.

"Gold?" He stuttered and Rum cackled with glee.

"Guess again dearie… I'm much, much worse." The beast teased and leaned forward slightly to leer at the young man before him. The boy's eyes were wide with confusion as he stared back at him in horror and Robert didn't suppress the giggle of delight that escaped Rum's lips.

"You hurt her… I have this funny thing, let's call it a quirk, about people damaging what's mine and you sir went so far as to touch Belle, my Belle, which I can assure you was a very big mistake on your part." He growled and sneered inwardly as the man before them obviously sought to gather his wits. He saw no challenge here as he was easily double the size of Robert but they always underestimated the power of the Dark One.

**Play nicely. **

"Now dearie the only question I'm finding hard right now is whether I should break all the bones in your body or simply knock you out and fill your shoes with concrete… because either way you," He pointed at Gaston.

"Are going in there." He finished gleefully, flicking his hand in an elaborate wave towards the river that flowed silently past them.

"How about none and never!" Gaston bellowed, lunging at him. The Dark One rolled his eyes and sprung to the side like a coiled spring released, grasping the man's neck and squeezing down hard on the pressure points just below his ears. The man flopped like a dying fish before crashing to the rotting boards beneath them. He stared up at him in fear, unable to move a muscle below his chin. The Dark One rubbed his hands together.

"Oh what fun!" He giggled inanely and leaned in close to whisper softly into the man's ear.

"Robert says hello." He breathed and the man's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Who are you?" He demanded and Robert felt his eyes roll.

"I go by many names, Belle calls me Rum, Robert calls me a bastard but I prefer the moniker Dark One… has a kind of ring to it, don't you think?" He asked airily, lifting the man's hand and placing it atop a nearby pylon.

"You know, that bridge over there is going to be my saving grace. Recent finances being what they are a lot of people have developed a rather depressing outlook on life. I've decided that I'm only going to break a few of your bones… a rib or two, your skull perhaps, then it'll look like you jumped and Belle will never have to know." He muttered and started when the insolent bastard started to laugh.

"You really do love her don't you?" He marvelled and Robert snarled inwardly.

"If Gold's in there, ask him this… what happens in a few years' time when Belle wakes up next to an old man? Do you honestly think a beautiful girl like her could want you when she could have someone like me?" He started to jeer, great howling laughter that seemed odd in a body that could barely move. The barrier of self-control inside the pair of them snapped violently, all Robert's insecurities resurfacing bitterly in the face of the boy's careless comment. Enraged the monster lashed out, snapping areas of the man's chest cavity as though they were nothing but dried kindling. The laughter turned to rhythmic howls of pain but the Dark One didn't stop. Fiendish delight took over and Robert was a little disturbed in the way the creature deliberately went about breaking the bastard apart. For over an hour the two men went through the sickening ritual and when he was done Gaston had three broken ribs, a snapped forearm, a fractured skull and quite possibly a punctured kidney. He bled from nearly every office and several teeth were missing. Wiping sweat from his brow the Dark One leered at his defenceless prisoner then smiled benignly out onto the river, resting his forearm against his knee.

"I wish you luck." He muttered and pushed the man to edge of the battered pier. Lady Luck had been on their side and no one had disturbed them.

"Remember what I said Gold." The sod murmured weakly and with a shout the Dark One shoved him over into the thick, brown water. Unable to move, the liquid around Gaston's head bubbled madly as he struggled to breath until, after about a minute or two, the water quietened and silence reigned over the grotesque scene. Waiting patiently until he was sure The Dark One reached out and turned the man over, satisfied at the sight of his dead eyes staring blankly up into the sky. Almost purring with pleasure the creature stood and pranced down the jetty, moving quickly into the winding alleyways and back to where he knew his Belle would need him.

_OoOoOoO_

"Stop making such a fuss Ruby, I just need to go soak for a while." Belle protested as her friend all but dragged her through the Palace towards Robert's office.

"No, he needs to see this." Ruby muttered, almost to herself, and knocked upon the door harshly. There was no answer from behind the wooden portal and Belle shrugged, wanting to get out of her sticky dress as soon as she could and put this awful day behind her. Ruby's lips thinned and she rapped sharply on the door once more.

"GOLD! Open up please!" She bellowed and Belle smirked, Ruby never said please to Robert… at least not without a large amount of sugar-coated sarcasm. Still, even with this genuine plead, no sound came from the room and Belle's mouth twisted.

"I think he's out. Ruby, just let this go… please?" She begged but Ruby was adamant.

"Not you're your life." She growled and was about to say something else when a familiar waltz-step approached them from behind. Belle paused, tensing for whatever was to come, before turning on her heel to face Robert as he made his way confidently towards her… the mischievous gleam in his eyes fading away rapidly at the sight of her. A cold, flinted look entered his warm brown eyes and they darkened to a deep brown that bordered on onyx as he snarled, his footsteps quickening.

"What happened?" He demanded, looking past Belle towards Ruby. Belle opened her mouth to tell him but Robert's hand closed around her wrist and squeezed briefly, silently asking for her to remain mute. Ruby hurriedly told him what had transpired and Belle was worried that his brain would short-circuit with rage. His jaw clenched and the muscles of his arms tightened visibly as Ruby spoke and by the end Belle was concerned for not only his blood pressure but Gaston, who would probably find immigration his best option from now on. She couldn't help but wonder what his reaction would be. After a long moment, where his facial feature wrought themselves into a myriad of tortured expressions, he managed to curb his anger enough to speak civilly to Ruby. He opened the door of his office and guided Belle through the threshold.

"Thank you Miss Lucas, please inform your Grandmother that I want tea to be brought up as soon as possible." He said shortly before closing the door in the brunette's face. He didn't move, his chin sunken onto the top of his chest as he visibly shook with restrained outrage. Belle laid a hand on his should but he merely flinched, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Robert?" She queried and he took a deep shuddering breath.

"I'm so sorry Belle." He murmured, his accent thickening as his tightly controlled emotions threatened to spill over to erected barrier he carefully maintained throughout his waking hours. Belle's heart crumbled as she gazed at him.

"Robert look at me please." She said but he shook his head, stubbornly refusing to even glance askance at her. His shame was obvious and it broke her heart… like so many things about this man seemed to.

"It wasn't your fault." She said and he chuckled mirthlessly.

"Wasn't it? If you were with any other man in New York City, no one would think twice about helping you out of a situation like that… but you're with me and because of me, because of the monster I am, you won't ever be accepted by these people again. I'm so sorry Belle." He whispered and Belle frowned.

"You're not a monster Robert, you've made bad decisions but I don't know anyone who hasn't… and if anyone looks down on us than they aren't worth my time or thoughts." She growled defensively, forcing him to turn and face her. Cupping his face in both her hands she forced his chin upwards until they were staring into one another's eyes.

"It's all because of me." He muttered, tracing the red lines that streaked down her face tentatively. Belle leaned into his palm and smiled benignly.

"I don't care." She announced confidently and he grimaced.

"You should care, I should make you care but," He paused and smirked weakly at her glower.

"I have long since learnt that making you do anything is more trouble that its worth." He finished and she laughed, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around him. His own arms collected her in a tender embrace and he rocked them slightly as he buried his face into her hair. For a long moment they simply stood like that, forbidding the outside world entry into their private moment, then the illusion snapped and Belle looked up into his face again.

"Robert, I… uh," She paused and bit her lip nervously. He frowned and cupped her face gently.

"What is it?" He asked softly and she sighed.

"Can I take a bath, I just need to get this stuff off me…" She asked weakly and he gaped at her in shock. Wordlessly he tugged on her hand and lead her towards the back of the office, towards a door she recognised. She pulled up short as old memories rose. He grimaced and stopped.

"You will be more comfortable upstairs, I must apologise for how I acted the last time you were there." He murmured and she shrugged, pushing old feelings aside as he pressed the inlaid rose petals and unlocked the hidden door. It swung silently open and they stepped into the gloom beyond. The proceeded upwards in total silence, Belle pressed as close to his side as she could get and his arm wrapped securely around her waist. She drew comfort from the embrace, his quiet strength resolving her own. He stepped forward and opened the darkened door, ushering her through to stand just inside the door and stare around at the only room she had never entered. It was remarkably simple for a man of Robert's reputation yet seemingly intuned to him in a way that made Belle smile. The room was circular, like her own, but where she had a window his sanctuary was illuminated by both a simple golden candelabra on the beside-table and a worktable that housed numerous flames and lanterns. The table itself was covered in a vast assortment of scientific equipment, beakers, burners and coils that hissed and bubbled occasionally as she watched. The flickering flames of filled the room with soft light, allowing her to see a large four-poster bed, a wardrobe and an oriental screen where she assumed a bathroom of sorts was hidden. The furnishings were rich but plain, like his office they were subdued in colour yet spoke volumes about his subversive desire for subtle power. It was most definitely his room and Belle loved it on sight, despite her bewilderment at the laboratory hidden away in the corner which made her think of Dr Jekyll or Frankenstein. She shuddered and pushed such thoughts away. His silence made her look around and she realised he was waiting for her to speak.

"Thank you." She said simply and he cocked his head curiously. His mouth twisted and he nodded his head towards the oriental screen.

"take as much time as you need, I'll be downstairs if you should have need." HE said and suddenly the air seemed filled with unspoken sensations. Belle yearned to kiss him, her body was literally screaming at her to, but instead she nodded dumbly and moved towards the screen. The moment was shattered and she closed her eyes as the door was closed and her love removed himself from the room. She stripped quickly of her dress and moved behind the screen, her mouth falling open in pleasant surprise as she saw the taps protruding from the wall and hovering over the tub before her. She smiled and twisted them gingerly, delighting in the way steam began to rise from the water and glancing around for soap. Once that was located she stepped into the bath and sat down, scrubbing at her face, her hair, her chest until every trace of the tomato had been erased entirely. She allowed herself a few minutes to sit idly in the bath, the water cooling as she thought back on the day. It made her limbs shake to think of how close she'd come to losing everything. Gaston had destroyed her reputation it was true but she'd been, just a little, convinced that with their cover blown Robert would send her away to protect himself. He was after all, the most feared man in New York, she could never forget that her nearness could potentially ruin him. Pulling herself from depressing thoughts before they could stick Belle roused herself and stood up, water trailing down her skin and back into the murky water around her calves. She glanced about for a towel and realised she need to get out to reach it. Focusing hard on not tripping she clambered out and made her way to the wardrobe, drying herself off hurriedly and wrapping herself securely in the warm fabric. She thought back on Robert, his heart-breaking expressions and wondered how this day could possibly be fixed. It seemed rent beyond repair despite her determination for it to end well. She smiled suddenly as a flash of colour caught her eye and, with Ruby's words still ringing in her head, set out to be brave.

_OoOoOoO_

Robert was sitting on the edge of his desk, his head in his hands, when she opened the hidden door cautiously. She vaguely remembered his call for tea and hoped Granny had already been and gone. It would appear she had, going by the tea tray by the fireplace. Drawing what little reserves of determination she had left Belle opened the door and stepped boldly into the room, keeping her steps light and her expression neutral. As she predicted his head snapped up almost immediately and his mouth opened to say whatever it was he'd been planning to say, only to hang in stupefied shock as she made her way carelessly towards him. Her bare feet whispered as she skipped across the room, smiling at him vaguely as she approached. Inside she was laughing, outwardly she was a picture of innocence. Robert couldn't have looked more stunned if she'd walked out of the door completely naked and although she ws only a little off, Belle contented herself in the knowledge that some of the costumes she'd worn had been even more scandalous… or so she thought.

"Belle…" He whispered and she cocked her head, breezing past him to move towards the fireplace. His shirt was several sizes too big for her, hanging down just past her buttocks and covering her ill-modestly with the first three buttons left undone. The sleevs were far too long and she pulled back the cuffs slightly as she bent to pour their tea calmly, peering behind her only once to see his gaze fixed entirely on her scantily clad rear. She blushed and turned away, amused to hear him curse softly.

"Sugar?" She asked and he growled.

"What are you doing?" He demanded and Belle feigned innocence.

"I washed my dress. I hope you don't mind me borrowing your clothes while it dries." She said sweetly and whirled to find him only a few inches away. She gasped, unable to control her reaction, and glanced up at him hesitantly. He was staring at her in wide eyes amazement, his eyes flickering over her form as though unsure where to rest and Belle felt powerful. She raised a single should in a half shrug and winked at him.

"It's a little big but… it'll do for now." She said, holding the white cotton out from her chest appraisingly and earning a stuttered response in return.

"Tea?" She asked and turned to fetch their cups, only to have her hands seized and their faces brought within mere millimeters of each other.

"I don't want tea." He said and she stared up at him, smiling.

"Then what do you want Robert?" She asked and he groaned.

"I want you Belle." He admitted quietly and the ach that had been dwelling in her heart since the first time he'd drawn away from her vanished as though it had never been. She revelled in his need for her and smiled brightly.

"Thank god." She whispered and he blinked in confusion.

"Because I want you too." She murmured softly and without another word he lowered his mouth hungrily to hers and pulled her scantily clad body flush against his. Her eyelids flickered shut as Robert ravaged her mouth. He was neither soft nor overly harsh, the kiss was simply the perfect expression of his need for her and so she mirrored it desperately with her own. It wasn't beautiful and it wasn't practiced like some of their tamer kisses had felt like, but it felt just as right as any they had shared. There was something primal in this, something frightening yet exhilarating that made the muscles in Belle's abdomen clench pleasurably. His hands gripped her upper arms firmly and he held her securely against him as he explored every inch of her lips and mouth. Dimly she was aware that Robert's hands were moving upwards and Belle felt her body slowly flicker to life beneath his palms as they traced gentle trails over the backs of her shoulders and caressed the tender skin of her back. She moaned against his mouth as his fingers soothed her tingling skin and whimpered as he broke the contact, drawing away slightly. Her eyes opened then closed as Robert traced a lingering series of open mouthed kisses across her exposed neckline towards the delicate skin beneath her ear, sucking the tender point until Belle's moan rippled out of her uncontrollably.

Warning, from here on out, this is smut… kiddies look away until you see this font again. THNX :D

Through a haze of pleasure Belle felt Robert's fingers trail up her spine, extracting shivers from her as he did so. She felt him ease his flattened palms under the cotton of her shirt and slide it back from her shoulders and exposing more of her upper body. She shivered and arched against him, burying her face into his chest and pressing a soft kiss to the area of skin between his chin and tie, loving the feeling of his racing pulse against her lips, the proof that he was just as wound up as she. He groaned and pushed her away slightly, making her whimper.

"Belle… we shouldn't… I…" He began, struggling to regain his control, and Belle actually groaned in frustration.

"Stop." She said and placed a finger on his lips, locking his gaze with hers as all traces of arousal drained from her body. She arched a sardonic brow and rose onto the balls of her feet to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Robert, I'm so tired of this nonsense… I don't think you see how much it hurts when you draw away, like you don't want me." She murmured and he flinched, his thin lips twitching horribly as he moved to clutch her face between his hands.

"Belle, it's because I want you that I draw away… I'm not a good man and I'll hurt you." He moaned desperately and Belle sighed.

"Why do you find it so hard to believe I could want this?" She asked and he turned his face away.

"I'm a difficult man to love dearie, I'm a monster." He muttered bitterly and Belle stamped her foot. Taking his hand she drew him along towards the fireplace, mindful of his leg but determined to see this through. She sat down and pulled sharply on his hand, watching as he slowly came to rest beside her. Due to the stiffness in his knee, he was forced to lean against the side of the armchair with his legs outstretched slightly. Belle herself was seated with her feet curled beneath her, to keep the chill of the floor off her bared nether regions. She leaned in and rested her head comfortably against his shoulder, staring pensively into the flickering flames as she felt him relax beneath her cheek. Grinning wickedly she shifted her position innocently before bringing one of her legs up and wrapping it loosely over one of his. His breath caught and she felt him stiffen in shock.

"Belle…" He moaned breathlessly and she sniggered, pressing down slightly with her foot and earning an almost inaudible groan from her love's lips.

"I'll ruin you." Robert muttered weakly as she rubbed her foot higher up his calf, her body instinctively melding to his side and causing her own breath to catch slightly. She nodded and brought her mouth to his ear.

"Then do it." She ordered, bringing her hand up to tilt his chin towards her. He was obviously conflicted but there was a definite gleam in his eyes that made her insides quiver.

"Please." She pleaded but he remained still. Belle faltered slightly as her bravery finally left her. She glanced down at herself, seeing how ridiculous she must look in nothing but one of his shirts. She swallowed and felt her chest tighten uncomfortably. She froze then began to disentangle herself from him, unable to stop the single tear that leaked out from under her lashes and slid slowly down her cheek. She lifted a hand to wipe it away but a warm, brown hand beat her to it. Robert's fingers swiped tenderly at her cheek and he pulled away to stare in horror at the tiny droplet on his fingertip. Belle bit her lip and looked at her lap intently. She went to move but her chin was grasped firmly once more and tugged upwards until their breaths all but mingled in turn. This time she couldn't hold back the new tears.

"If you don't want me, just say so." She whispered and he drew a shuddering breath.

"This is forever dearie." He said softly and she managed a watery smile. At least he wasn't pushing her away. She sat up a little straighter and he cocked his head, his eyes endearingly confused. Finally he reached a decision and nodded.

"Close your eyes." He said and she complied. After a moment his lips connected with hers and all the tension fled her coiled muscles as he pressed her backwards. The floorboards were deliciously cool against her skin and she arched, eyes still tightly closed, as he trailed his kisses down her neck and even further to the skin revealed through the gap in her shirt. The tender flesh almost sung as he lavished it with an open mouth, taking his time and making her squirm at the unfamiliar warmth that radiated out from that spot. Her own arms moved to pull him closer, fingers twining in his silken hair as he continued to ravish her torso.

"Robert." She breathed and she shuddered against her. She smiled and felt his smirk.

"Minx." He muttered and she cracked an eyelid to peer at him accusingly. He had shirked his jacket and his tie was loosened but Belle felt aggrieved that it had been he and not she that had made it so. She sat up and tugged determinedly at the silken tie, a light blue one that matched her day dress she now realised. She untied it and, upon instinct, yanked upon the ends to bring his lips to her once more. She drew back and smirked at the sight of his dilating pupils and felt another shiver run the course of her spine as his eyes darkened. She threw the tie away and began to work at the buttons of the black shirt. Her fingers were clumsy in her hurry and she blushed beet red when she couldn't make short work of the things. He chuckled, not unkindly, and removed her hands, nudging her body back down with his and holding her hands to the floor, pinioned beside her head like heated shackles. They gaze held and she pressed her lower body up into his, her eyes widening as something hard pushed into the soft flesh of her hip. He shifted uncomfortably and Belle smiled as she realised what it was. She arched upwards again and this time a short moan tore itself from his lips. After another wet kiss Robert's hands moved down from her wrists to slide over the buttons of her shirt, undoing each one painfully slow and making Belle pant slightly whenever is fingertips traced her flushed skin. Her breath was coming hard and she had the strangest sensation of tightening inside her abdomen, like a spring being coiled tightly. The flush moved into her cheeks as her shirt fell open and exposed her bare breasts to him. She shifted and almost turned away. She felt so vulnerable under his gaze. She squirmed but firm hands held her still.

"No love, just… let me look at you. Please?" Robert begged and Belle stilled beneath him. Her blush slowly faded as she watched his eyes take her in, his face showing nothing but naked awe as he skimmed a tentative palm over the underside of her breast. Belle gasped and he immediately backed away.

"I'm sorry." He muttered and she glowered.

"Don't you dare..." She growled and both of them chuckled, albeit a little uneasily, as he approached once more and drew nonsensical patterns over her stomach. Belle sighed happily and lay back again, letting wave after wave of gentle pleasure seep over her. Her fingers tugged at his shirt and he reluctantly moved to unbutton the remaining fastenings. He looked unsure and Belle rolled her eyes.

"We're not very good at this are we?" She remarked without thinking and he let out a harsh bark of laughter.

"Nay." He agreed hoarsely and she felt a little more comfortable knowing he too was a little nervous. Underneath the sensible black shirt he was all subtle strength. She rather liked it. In fact, she loved it over than the mass of muscles that Gaston had crowed about months before. Pushing such thoughts away she leaned forwards and traced her mouth across his chest, grinning at his sharp intake of breath and, rebelliously, closing her teeth on one stark nipple. An animalistic growl escaped him and suddenly Belle was once again flat on her back, staring up into his darkened face as he leered down at her. He all but attacked her neck, biting down on the junction of her neck and shoulder, her ultimate weak spot. She moaned loudly and brought one of her legs up and over his hip, pressing their cores together.

"Robert." She moaned and he growled in her ear. His hardened length once again pressed into her stomach but rather than be afraid or repulsed by the sensation Belle felt her abdomen clench blissfully and the skin between her thighs suddenly dampen quite ridiculously. Even through his dress pants she could feel the heat of him and a overwhelming urge to have him inside her stole over Belle as she arched into his embrace and whimpered into his ear. Her mewling seemed to spur him on but his bites became a little too aggressive as he clamped down on her shoulder, making her squeak with shock and a little pain. Instantly he froze and Belle moved against him soothingly.

"Not so hard hm?" She whispered and he nodded woodenly, unable to meet her gaze. She hummed and rolled until they both lay on their sides, her back to the flames and his face illuminated by them. She reached out and sketched a finger down his torso, swirling around his chest and dipping lower and lower, towards the waistband of his pants. Robert's eyes hooded as he pressed into her touch, his hips lifting unconsciously and making her smirk inwardly. She had the most powerful man in New York… wrapped around her little finger. Anyone else would have probably tried to take advantage of the situation but all Belle could think about was that throbbed heat against her core and the overwhelming desire to feel him inside her. Her inexperience caught up with her and she faltered.

"I don't know what to do." She whispered and his gaze softened. Her chin was cupped gently and their lips were one once more as he carefully manoeuvred himself to hold her, one arm caressing her back and the other clinching her cheek.

"Do you trust me?" He asked and Belle closed her eyes blissfully.

"With everything I am." She replied simply and felt his breath grace over her bare breasts. She shuddered and gasped as his mouth closed around one of her pert nipples, her gut exploding with exquisite pleasure as he sucked upon it determinedly. She keened and grasped his hair tightly, drawing him closer and urging him on with little sighs as he ravished the sensitive bud until she felt as though she would burst.

"Robert… I can't…" She breathed but he chuckled.

"Just let it be love, let it be." He murmured and clamped down on her other nipple, chewing it firmly and eliciting a high pitched whimper as his hands gripped her hips firmly, their cores pressed together as she writhed. Suddenly, the coiled spring inside her seemed to snap free of its constraints and Belle's mouth made a perfect 'O' as she spasmed wildly, her limbs taunt and her mind blissfully blank as wave upon wave of contractions rippled through her body. She cried out and clutched desperately at his shoulders, her nails digging into the skin and drawing blood. Shaking and sobbing slightly she pressed herself against him until she had recovered sufficiently. He stroked her hair and when she had stopped shaking drew back to gaze at her in concern. She smiled smugly at him and nuzzled into his chest. He relaxed and an unintentional movement brought his own pleasure back into perspective. Belle grinned. She rubbed herself against him and heard him groan. She wriggled out of her shirt and lay back upon it watching as he shucked his final layers of clothing to lie next to her. They stared at each other unabashedly, bare as both could possibly be.

"No going back." She breathed and he started.

"Forever." He agreed and Belle sighed happily. Swallowing she allowed herself to gaze down between them and sudden panic filled her. How was _that _going to fit inside her? Belle remembered her own pitiful attempts to stick anything larger than her pinkie finger inside and clenched slightly in fright. It was big, not that she had anything to go by, but fully engorged she had cause to fear for her tender self. She swallowed again and tried to smile but he'd seen her face and instantly tried to back away.

"We don't have to Belle." He said firmly and she drew a deep breath to contradict him but he held a finger to her lips, mirroring her own actions from before and she fell silent.

"No, listen please. You've already brought me so much Belle, I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do." Robert murmured and Belle drew back slightly.

"Will it hurt?" She asked before she could stop herself, hating how young she sounded and wishing she could take it back. He cocked his head and tried to think.

"It's been a long time since I was married, but from what I do recall, yes... it will for a bit." He said and Belle nodded. Her determination was flagging slightly but a calming voice, sounding remarkably like Ruby's, penetrated her fear and she relaxed.

"Okay." She said softly and he started.

"What?" He panted and Belle bit her lip nervously. She reached out and tentatively ran a single digit down his quivering length and suppressed a chuckle as his face contorted almost comically. It was as if solid steel were covered in the silkiest velvet and Belle sucked in a breath as she rubbed a little harder. Robert hurriedly clutched her hand and brought it to his lips, pressing swift kisses to her knuckles. His gaze was almost feral as he stared at her with wide, dark brown eyes.

"I love you." She whispered and he paused. She wondered if it was wise to say such a thing now but there was no taking it back. She pressed herself closer and swallowed. He nodded and gently rolled them so that she was beneath him, their cores lightly touching as he worked to remain comfortable despite his knee. He covered her face and neck with a barrage of kisses, pecking at her eyelids, her cheeks and finally her lips as he reached between them and cup her slightly. She bucked against his hand and gasped as his fingers danced upon the most secret recesses of her body. God it felt amazing. She felt the coil begin to tighten again and knew that she wouldn't last very long, knew he had to be inside her when her whole world fell apart. His artisan's hand lingered and stroked her tendermost regions, circling the bud of nerves and making her pant and gasp against his mouth. Her legs fell even further apart and she raised her knees to clutch him to her more firmly. Her heels dug mercilessly into the backs of his calves and quite suddenly she felt him against her, felt the hard length of his manhood against her most inner self. She slickened and bit her lip. Above her he stilled.

"If I hurt you, fight back." He commanded and she nodded, her emotions heightening.

"Please." She begged and he chuckled. Slowly, bit by bit, he edged inside her. At first it was slightly painful. Her tight walls stretched uncomfortably to accommodate his width and she gasped as he intruded into places she had never been. Oh god how was he ever going to fit, surely she rip before the night was out. He grunted and Belle noticed that although her own body was covered in a light sheen of sweat, his brow was dripping with it in a fierce attempt to hold himself back. His self-control staggered her and she loved him more at that moment then she ever had.

"Go love." She told him and he pressed further, making her flinch as he pressed against the barrier of her chastity.

"Are you-"

"Please Robert!" She demanded and, without warning, he thrust hard, breaking through and making her cry out in shock and pain. She trembled as pain rocketed through her and she clung to him as he murmured softly to her, his words unintelligible but the tone soothing as her body struggled to catch up with what had just happened. He moved cautiously within her and quite suddenly the pain was receding. She squirmed and a soft moan left her. He withdrew slightly, almost pulling out of her entirely, before plunging back inside her to the hilt. She moaned again and he shifted his hips, hitting another bunch of nerves and inducing a scream of pleasure from her lips.

"ROBERT!" She cried and he rocked his hips against her, his thrusts becoming stronger and harder with each movement. Her knees rose higher, until they hooked over his own hips and pulled him deeper within her.

"Harder." She moaned.

"Oh god, harder." He complied, pounding harder and faster into her as the pressure in her core intensified once more.

"I'm… Robert I…" She cried and he groaned.

"Stay with me Belle, stay with me." He begged and she tried. Together they moved in a wild and ancient rhythm that moved as fluidly as if rehearsed for millennia. As her own muscles began to flutter Robert's thrusts became erratic and harried. He was groaning and Belle was only slightly less vocal. He tilted his hips one last time and her head snapped back as her core exploded with pleasure, sending her mind blank as her muscles clenched around him, drawing him in as much as she could. Vaguely she became aware of a liquid heat filling her entirely, joining them entirely as they shouted in unison. She collapsed, spent and completed sated, against the floorboards. Above her Robert slumped and his head came down to rest between her breasts. Both were breathing heavily and covered in a sheen of sweat that cooled in the darkened room.

Alright danger's passed… for those who were very good and didn't peak.

If Belle had her way, they would never move from that position. She felt so joyously happy that it became improbable for them to even think about moving. She felt weightless, her euphoria carrying her gently on an ocean of pleasure as she stroked Robert's hair and gazed down at their entwined bodies.

"Belle," He began and she shushed him quietly.

"It was perfect." She said and meant it. It had been perfect. He relaxed and pulled back, shifting around until he lay upon his back, drawing her to his side and curling a protective arm around her. Silence dragged on and Belle felt her eyelids droop.

"_Mo Belle álainn, mo Belle milis agus álainn."_ Robert murmured and Belle smiled, not sure what he said but as always comforted by the sound. She snuggled close and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and relaxing against him. Something soft settled over her naked form and she realised he'd covered them with one of the blankets she'd brought in during one of her nights reading beside the fire. She smiled and kissed the hot skin beneath her mouth.

"I do love you Robert… you were never a monster to me." She said softly and finally allowed her exhaustion to take over, slipping into blackness and missing the despairing look that flickered across her lover's face.

**So I hope the length of this chapter somewhat makes up for the time it took for me to update this fic. All I can say is that I am so very sorry for doing it sooner, first it was exams, then it was final preparations for Year 12 and then I was in the Philippines for 9 days doing mission work with my school. Life got in the way but I delivered smut as was demanded by you lovelies, thanks again for the encouragement and reviews. As always, please let me know what you thought and I hope you all liked it. **

**NB- Robert is speaking in Gaelic and it translates to "My Beautiful Belle, my sweet and beautiful Belle."**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

**So, I know it's been a while –ducks as flying fruit heads her way- I'm hoping this chapter makes up for it in some way. It's got it all, smut, murder and even a little plot development/flashback. Next chapter is building up to the big reveal (eg Belle finally knowing about the Dark One). Please enjoy and remember to review when you're done. **

"_Robert, do you think this war will ever end?" The small warble in the Moraine's voice caused Robert to stop spinning. His brow furrowed as he tried to assuage her unspoken nervousness. The ancient wheel he sat before ground to a creaking halt as he looked over to where she sat by the table and swallowed tightly. There was an untouched piece of knitting in her lap, marking her pensive mood and her pretty face was creased with nervousness. She bit her lip and tugged at a loose thread fretfully. _

"_I was listening to the wireless with Ma and Da this morning. People are saying… that it won't ever end, that the whole world's gone to war this time and that it won't end until every last man… plays his part." She murmured weakly and picked up the small bundle in her lap. She turned it over and swallowed thickly. Robert was shocked to his core. Fearful was not a word he would use to describe Moraine Knowles; she was stalwart and headstrong, unlike the other girls her age who were given to silly fancies or screamed at the sight of ewe blood in spring time. She had never shirked from birthing lambs or even waterproofing wool, she had a strong constitution and a strong nerve that he admired greatly. So when he heard the quiet tremble in her voice, Robert knew he had to be honest._

"_Nothing lasts forever dearie, it's always been the way of things." He said and winced, the words shooting closer to home than he would like. Moraine nodded and went back to her sewing, only getting through a few stitches before she sighed and spoke again. _

"_More boys are signing up every day Robert. I'm so afraid Bae will get it in his head he has to do it as well." She whispered hoarsely and Robert felt his heart clench painfully as he fought down the familiar panic that arose in him. Her words were eerily similar to the thoughts that crept into his mind in the early hours of the morning when sleep evaded him and his son slept peacefully beside him. How often had he worried over his son's fate? How often had he awoken in a cold sweat, dreaming of his son lying dead in some trench over the channel? Too many times to count, if the dark circles under his eyes were any sound indication. Baelfire was everything Robert was not. He was strong, brave and carried himself with an integrity unmatched by anyone else Robert had ever known. These ideals worried Robert, because he knew they would be matched by a juvenile sense of invincibility and patriotism. It was a lethal combination, given the war that had decided to raise its ugly head, and the thought of his son dying on the banks of the Somme terrified Robert out of his wits. He knew his reasons for Bae not going were selfish. He didn't want his son to go in case he lost him. It was that simple. He supposed a thousand parents had thought the same thing, but he was too much of a coward to let himself be swayed by words of glory and patriotism. He didn't care that the world was falling apart, he didn't care that nations were tearing each other apart so long as he and Baelfire were never separated. _

"_Baelfire will always do what he thinks is right dearie, even if I say for him not to." Robert said reluctantly and Moraine nodded tightly. _

"_I know, it would kill him to make you worry but he doesn't want to be left behind and I just can't help worrying about that. Half the boys have gone already and I just couldn't bear to lose him." She said furiously, wiping stubbornly at a stray tear on her cheek. Robert stood quickly, moving swiftly over to where she sat. Taking her hand gently he lifted her chin slightly and peered into her pale face. She smiled weakly at him and he shook his head slightly in wonder. _

"_After Bae's mother left, I always worried that he'd never know a woman's concern. You are something very precious to him Moraine, this past year you've shown us both something we thought we'd lost a long time ago… perhaps if you talk to him, he'll listen." Robert said stalwartly and watched as her deep brown eyes clouded over in thought. _

"_What was Milah like?" She asked unexpectedly and Robert flinched slightly. He drew away. _

"_Bae looks a lot like her in some respects; he has her eyes and her fierceness." He said woodenly, turning away and fixing his gaze on the recently swept floor. It was hardened clay, always had been, and dotted in places with broken tile which were battered into the ground and passed for a semi-respectable floor. One day he'd get the damn thing floored entirely, in glittering marble if fate were kind. A tender hand grasped his forearm and he looked to see Moraine's horrified expression. _

"_I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up things I shouldn't…"_

"_You were curious dearie." He said simply and she shrugged, obviously uneasy. _

"_I'm sorry Robert." She said again and he waved her off. _

"_You've nothing to be sorry for Moraine. Now, what else is bothering you?" He asked softly and she frowned playfully. _

"_You know me so well." She laughed and he smirked. _

"_Not at all dearie. No man truly knows a woman and if he thinks he does than he's simply fooling himself and is all the more a fool." He muttered and she sniggered. _

"_Do you mind passing that bit of wisdom on to the rest?" She asked sweetly and he chuckled, tapping her nose and standing. He walked back to his stool and began to spin again, the rhythmic creak of the wheel echoing throughout the small hut. He waited patiently for her to speak. You could never press Moraine, she'd tell you when she was good and ready and not a moment before. Sure enough, she finally spat it out. _

"_It's getting late. Bae should have been back by now." She said tightly and Robert hummed in thought. _

"_He should be along, he probably got into another fight. You'd think it were impossible for the boy to walk past a conflict without getting himself involved." Robert muttered darkly, thinking about the several black eyes and broken bones he'd had to rectify over the past year. Moraine coughed. _

"_He's just defending you." She said sternly and Robert hissed as the pad of his thumb sliced across the pointed end of the spindle he was clutching. He swore softly and sucked on the abused digit bitterly. Moraine was silent as he tore a strip of material from his shirt to wrap the cut tightly. _

"_He shouldn't have to." He said, to himself really, but she answered anyway._

"_We both do." He turned and saw her sitting proudly next to the oaken table. A queen would have less dignity, he thought idly. _

"_I'm so sorry Moraine." He said, and meant it. She frowned. _

"_Don't do that Robert, you're like a father to me and I'll always protect my family." She said simply and began to pick at her sewing without even a hint of reticence. Perturbed Robert turned back to the spinning wheel and was about to begin again when rapid footsteps from outside made both occupants of the small hut peer towards the door. It was promptly thrown open and a young man in a dark green uniform stepped across the threshold, peering at them excitedly and, Robert saw immediately, a hint of nervousness. A sick feeling crept into his stomach as he took in his son's appearance and Moraine's loud shriek ascertained his fears that this wasn't just some horrible illusion. _

"_BAE!" She screamed and flew at him. Her fists flew wildly and struck at every inch of him she could reach, her whole body shaking with anguish. Baelfire stood impassive beneath her blows, which appeared not to even reach him as he stared over at her shoulders towards his father. Robert stood slowly and moved quickly to take Moraine by the shoulders. She slumped against him and he guided her gently towards the table, his throat dry and swollen as he helped her to sit. She trembled and he crouched before her, stroking her tear stained face. _

"_Papa? Say something, please?" Baelfire pleaded but Robert couldn't say a word as he gently moved around the kitchen, taking down his cup and filling it with the tea still stilling on the stove. He handed it to Moraine whose cries slowly lessened until the salty droplets streamed silently down her cheeks. She grasped it gratefully and began to gulp at the hot liquid. _

"_Moraine, please don't cry." Bae said and came to kneel before her, taking the mug from her slim fingers and grasping the delicate digits firmly between his. She shook her head and swallowed to gain some ability to talk. _

"_You signed up then, just like I always knew you would." She said numbly and he nodded, his brown curls bobbing as he looked towards Robert. His father moved to leaned against the doorjamb, the cool night breeze soothing against his heated face._

"_I had to." He said simply and Moraine shook her head desperately._

"_No, you didn't!" She said angrily and Baelfire scowled. _

"_Yes I did! Do you know what it's like walking through town and everyone staring after you, like you're doing something wrong simply by living! Half the boys my age have gone, the other half are either deaf, dumb or milksops Moraine! I can't stay here while everyone else goes, I won't be coward!" He shouted furiously and then froze, his blue eyes bulging in dismay as Moraine stared towards the doorway in horror. Robert felt his legs tremble under the weight of his son's words and was glad the door jamb was behind him, elsewise he'd be on the floor and disgrace Bae even further._

"_I see." He muttered quietly and ignored his son's apologetic face as he grasped his cloak from the hook beside the door. _

"_Papa I didn't mean…"_

"_Make sure Moraine gets home safely Bae, it's getting dark and it's a mad world these days." He said stiffly and moved outside. Behind him he heard raised voices but refused to acknowledge either. He leapt the low, blue-stone wall that surrounded the property easily and began to wander, not quite knowing where he was headed but not caring all that much either. All he knew was that he needed to get away. The night was well and truly upon him when he re-entered town, the only lights available were thrown from the windows of shop apartments above him. He made his way towards the pub, allowing the familiar sounds to guide him along to his usual seat at the back. Here he could observe without being noticed, here he was out of everyone's sight, out of everyone's mind. A barmaid came and handed him a mug of their cheapest ale, which he took without a word or even a look in her direction. She sniffed irritably and turned on her heel to stalk off. He sipped quietly and gazed around the dimly lit pub. The noise was still there, but a gloom had been cast over the occupants of the tiny town, sinking into even the bawdiest of places. Men of all ages were missing, already gone to fight for their country. Others sat nursing cups and wishing for better days. Talk was cheap and the alcohol flowing thickly. Robert wondered if he was being stupid, if he shouldn't just go home and apologise. He should be proud that Bae was going, at least happy that his son wasn't anything like him. He should be glad that cowardice wasn't transferable, like brown hair or blue eyes. He should be ecstatic that it had at least stopped with him. He gulped the rest of his ale and slammed the mug down with more force than was strictly necessary. A few men stared at him but he ignored them and they returned the favour. A man's problems were his own these days, even the village coward's. A new mug soon replaced it, and then another. Soon he lost track of both time and number and it was only when the barkeeper dragged him from his seat and into the street that Robert was aware of how much time had passed. The sun was on the brink of rising and he was quite drunk. In a pleasurable daze he traversed the uneven laneway without much skill or grace, eventually collapsing into the first lit doorway he happened upon. Looking up he saw the post office sign and raised an eyebrow. He clutched at the handle to get up and fell through the door when it opened. _

"_Might as well." He muttered darkly and staggered inside. If the man at the desk thought it strange that Robert Gold was enlisting at the crack of dawn, with an obvious bellyful of ale, he never said so. He simply nodded, handed him a pen and brought him a uniform, dark green like Bae's, and a timetable for the next train to London. The sun was up when Robert staggered through his door but apparently he wasn't the only one who'd stayed up all night. Moraine had apparently stayed the night and Bae had shadows around his brown eyes that made Robert feel almost guilty for walking out. Almost. He met the horrified gazes of the two young people in the house and raised a sardonic eyebrow. Stumbling forward he caught himself on the table and glared at the pair. _

"_You don't need to be ashamed of me anymore Bae, I won't let you down again." He said and staggered slightly as he made his way to bed, wincing when he saw Moraine's tearstained face. _

"_Don't cry dearie, I'll look out for him." He muttered sleepily and turned his back to them. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the small voice in the back of his mind telling him he was going to regret this all one day. _

_OoOoOoO_

There was a shaft of sunlight shining directly into Robert's face when he awoke and he winced, immediately reclosing he eyes and stifling his moan of pain. He tried to relax and moved closer to the warmth beside him, enjoying its softness. He was halfway asleep when the softness moved, causing him to jump violently. He shifted his head to the side until the light lessened behind his lids then cracked one eye open to gaze around warily. The sight that greeted him was half shocking and entirely satisfying. Cradled into his side, entirely naked save for a blanket, was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. Her face, partly obscured by a rippling veil of russet hair, pressed lightly into the slight crease of his chest and shoulder. Her eyes were flickering behind closed eyelids and her mouth parted slightly as her nubile body pressed trustingly into his side, one arm wrapped around his waist and the other curled into a loose fist by his shoulder. Her chest rose and fell evenly and her blind trust made him relax. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on Belle's slim waist and drew her closer to his side, their bodies pressing together in a way that made him moan quietly. God she was so beautiful. He was the luckiest son-of-a-bitch alive. He shifted and froze when she stirred sleepily, only to settle again and mumble something unintelligible into his chest. His Belle seemed, if it were possible, even deeper in sleep that before. Amused, Robert lifted a hand reverently towards her face, smoothing the silken veil away from her face and tucking the auburn strands behind her ear. He pressed his lips to the top of her head and she moaned wearily. He froze. She was obviously exhausted and, damn it all to hell, there was no way he was going to wake her up. Memories came flooding back and he smiled into her soft hair. Waiting until she settled again Robert cautiously eased himself out from under the blanket they had shared. He drew it higher up her delicate frame when the cool morning air brushed over her pale skin and made her shiver. When he drew away Belle made a soft whimpering sound, appearing for the first time as fragile and innocent as a child. Without her indomitable spirit her tiny frame became small and entirely vulnerable. She had her own defences, not as tough or forbidding as his perhaps, but they were there so long as she was awake. Running a tired hand over his face Robert tried to pull himself together… only to have his head suddenly ring with a voice he'd rather have nothing to do with.

_Morning Robert. _Robert groaned.

_**Oh God, not you.**_

_I can't decide if I should be offended or amused…_ The dark One muttered sarcastically and Robert felt the urge to strangle something rise.

_**Get lost.**_ He spat and heard his inner head laughing.

_If that's the best you can come up with right now, I might just do that. _

_**Oh please, if you buggered off every time I came up with a lame excuse for an insult I'd have been rid of you decades ago.**_

_Touche._

_**What do you want now?**_

_What makes you think I want anything? _The voice was toying with him now and Robert was not in the mood for its childish pranks. Yesterday afternoon had been a one-time thing, nothing more.

_**Experience. **_He said moodily, staring down at the slumbering girl and trying not to think about how unseemly this whole situation had become. Oh god he'd ruined her!

_Ouch, now I _am_ offended. I thought we got along better than that. _

_**Please leave?**_

_Hm, tempting. _

_**I give up, stay if you want but I won't answer you. **_

_Oh come on, that's no fun. _

In response, Robert simply slid his pants on over his legs, wincing as his knee was jerked into odd angles, then pulled his half buttoned shirt on over his head as he staggered ungracefully to his feet. His cane was soon located and he quietly limped his way across the room to his desk, rounding it and sinking into his chair gratefully. It was facing the window and he could see a sliver of Hudson outside the pane.

_You have really done it now, haven't you?_

_**What does that mean?**_

_Ha, got you dearie!_

_**Fuck off.**_

_Oh better, that had half a feeling in it too. _

_**Haven't you got another poor soul to annoy? A penniless orphan? A single mother of five? Surely that would suit you fiendish purposes better than me. **_

_Perhaps, but I don't see the point when you provide so much entertainment on your own._

_**What did you mean?**_

_Belle. _

_**What about Belle?**_

_Where do you see this all going Bobby?_

_**You want to bring this all up now?**_

_Someone had to._

_**Yes, but I was hoping it would be later than this.**_

_Everything comes with a price dearie, what do you think hers will be?_

Robert scowled and looked around the corner of the chair to see Belle's motionless form, curled up before the darkened fireplace. He swallowed and rocked back into the soft back of his chair, trying to ignore the Dark One.

_You heard and saw them yesterday; you know what they'll think of her. She may be happy now, but what about in a few years' time?_

_**Why are you bringing this up?**_

_I have my priorities. _

_**Which are?**_

_Defending her._

_**Why?**_

_Because you can't always do so._

_**You're sounding awfully attached to her, should I be worried?**_

_Can't really argue, technically I've fucked your girlfriend dearie._

"Fuck." Robert muttered and rubbed his faced tiredly. That last one had been a little harsh but in saying so, Robert had said and done worse over the years.

"Robert?" A soft voice called out from behind him and he froze.

"Robert!" Belle's voice rose, and a note of panic echoed through the room. He didn't speak and she moved about, scrambling to her feet. A small noise made him gasp. She was crying.

"Belle." He said quietly and a short gasp made him look around. She was standing by the fireplace, the blanket wrapped about her slim shoulders and her young face twisted with worry. He was ashamed to see the trails of tears on her ivory cheeks.

"I thought… you weren't so I…" She broke off and drew the blanket closer about herself. She looked at her feet and Robert groaned softly. He was quite possibly the stupidest son-of-a-bitch that had ever lived.

"Come here." He murmured quietly and she walked unsteadily towards his desk. He clasped her hand as she approached and drew her onto his lap, taking a stray curl from her shoulder and pressing a small kiss to it. Belle lay her head against his chest and sighed happily. Her tense body melded into him and he curled his other arm around her protectively.

"Did you think I'd left you?" He asked after a moment and she nodded into his neck. His heart sank, an invisible fist colliding with his solar plexis at her honesty.

_Excellent work Bobby._

_**Shut up. **_

"Ah sweetheart I'm sorry, I should have said something. I was lost in my own thoughts." He said lamely as she looked up at him. Belle reached up and tapped his chin playfully.

"Just don't do it again." She warned and he smiled.

"Never." He promised seriously; meaning every syllable. It was as if all his worries, and the Dark One's, had rolled off his shoulders. Everything was perfect; he was happy, she was happy. He drew her closer and she snuggled against him. They were silent for a long moment and he rubbed his hand up and down her back soothingly as he stared out of the window. Both jumped when a sharp knock echoed through the room. Belle's panicked expression would have made him laugh… if his own hadn't looked exactly the same. Putting a finger to her lips he raised his voice.

"Who is it?" He asked and Ruby's voice floated through the closed portal.

"Room service." She shouted back sardonically and opened the door without so much as a by your leave.

"I didn't say you could come in dearie." Robert yelled frostily but she ignored him.

"Oh please, I'll just put it down and be out. You two lovebirds have fun." She said lightly and Belle squeaked. Ruby chuckled and a quiet rattling told them she was putting the tray down on the table by the fireplace. No one spoke and Robert was fighting the urge to scream at the woman. Belle had paled to a shade he'd previously only seen on corpses and it was only when Ruby's footsteps disappeared down the hall that she let out the breath she'd obviously been holding in.

"Oh god…" She whispered and held her hands over her face. Robert panicked. What if she was already regretting everything? He tried to speak but once again, his cowardly tongue caught in his throat and all he could do was a faint whimper. Her shoulders were shaking slightly and he gripped them gently.

"Belle? Belle what's wrong?" He asked and she shook her head. Robert's fingers tightened ever so slightly and she looked up at him, her aquamarine eyes glowing with mirth. She was laughing. He let out a sigh of relief. Tapping her nose playfully he grinned, dazed with relief.

"You shouldn't scare an old man like that dearie, it's not good for us." He scolded half-heartedly and she sobered slightly.

"You're not old." She said idly and he quirked a brow.

"I'm old enough." He said tightly and she frowned. He was old enough to be her father, there was so much wrong with this situat-

"I don't care. We're happy aren't we?" She interrupted his thoughts anxiously and he felt his mouth twist wryly.

"I most certainly am sweetheart. I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't though… I'm a difficult man to like, let alone love." He murmured and flinched at the baleful glare she sent him. It was cold enough to freeze a furnace.

"Stop it Robert! How many times do I have to tell you that I lo-"

"Please don't Belle." He said softly and she stopped. Hurt flickered in her eyes and he sighed.

"I've lost so much that I've loved, for the stupidest of reasons. You're young, you have the world at your feet and although you say you love me now, what about in a few years? What happens then?" She opened her mouth to argue but he placed his lips against them to stop the fierce words he knew would be coming. She struggled for a moment then melted against him as he forced her lips apart. His tongue flickered against hers and she surrendered to him, pressing her slim body against his and allowing her grip on her blanket to weaken. The thick material slipped from her shoulders and pooled about her hips, baring her mid-rift and torso to him. His hands moved from her face, tracing gentle paths from her shoulders down under her arms to her waist and settling on her hips. She arched into him and a short whimper escaped her lips as he pulled back from their kiss to nuzzle into her neck.

"Robert, stop." She murmured but he pressed on, finding the spot between her neck and shoulder and sucking on the delicate skin there. She gasped and clutched at his shoulders for support. He attacked it with vigour, nothing could have forced him away.

"Robert, please." She breathed and he drew back to see her face. She was crying. He stopped immediately and cradled her face between his hands.

"What's wrong? I didn't hurt you did I?" He demanded and she shook her head miserably. He frowned in confusion.

"Then what is it?"

"You won't let me in Robert. You find it impossible that I could love you, yet you're happy to kiss me and…" She stopped and her features flushed pleasantly before she moved on.

"Do you think I would give myself to any man? Is your opinion of me so low that you could think I would have sex with anyone?" She demanded and he gaped at her.

"Belle, I never… of course not!" He exclaimed, horrified at the very thought. She nodded tightly and drew herself up with dignity. Despite her nakedness, she was as regal as any princess, as beautiful as any queen. She was so beautiful it made him cringe to think it had been him, ugly and twisted as he was, that she had chosen.

"Belle, I took you. I have taken what should have been saved for the right time." He began and she scowled.

"It was the right time." She said furiously and he sighed. This had all turned out so wrong; he needed to salvage the situation before it got out of hand.

"You have lost much that you don't even realised because of that fact alone. I'm not a good man Belle. I have a history that I'd rather I didn't but because of it you will never again be welcomed into certain circles. God, I would never unwish what happened but I wish I could be better for you Belle, because you deserve better than anything I could possibly give you." He said weakly and she clasped his face between her hands. She pressed her lips to his boldly. When she drew back her eyes were closed and there was a small smile on her lips.

"Just kissing you enough for me." She said softly and he felt his heart clench.

"I made my choices Robert, you didn't force me into anything. No one decides my fate but me; not you, not my father, not anyone. I love you but sometimes I wonder if it's enough." She said sadly and he frowned.

"What do you mean?" He demanded. She tossed her hair angrily.

"You need to let me in Robert." She said simply and he flinched. Her lips were on his again, but this time they were demanding and all he could to was answer with his own desperation.

**I'm going to give a little warning here, because it's the right thing to do. Keep a lookout for the end of smut **

His right hand slipped from her delicate hip, moving beneath the blanket around her thighs and finding the small bundle of nerves between her slim legs. She moaned loudly and he swallowed the little sounds hungrily with his kisses. Cautiously he circled the nub with his thumb, pressing when she moaned, retreating when she stiffened. Little by little he explored her, taking his time and allowing himself to learn what made her tick. His fingers were slick with her wetness and he couldn't resist sliding the very tips of his fingers into her tight opening. She moaned and, encouraged, he slid a little further. She wiggled against him and he resumed his prior position, sucking gently on the crux of her shoulder. She arched closer and the smooth skin of her stomach pressed against his quivering length. Her firm breasts were crushed against his torso and the sensation was slowly driving him mad. He could feel himself building, simply watching her pleasure made him harden, but he had no desire to come inside his pants like some immature school boy when his beautiful Belle sat naked and dripping in his lap.

"Belle, can I?" He asked quietly and she nodded, her hands moving down towards his waist line. He slipped his fingers from between her legs and she groaned. He pressed a series of small kisses along her shoulder, tracing around the curve of her left breast and brushing the sensitive underside with his tongue. She gasped and the sound was unlike any music he'd ever heard, sensual and entirely innocent at the same time, drawing at a familiar lust he'd never known existed until now.

**Ha ha ha, I tricked you didn't I? Did you think I was going to give you smut without a little angsty break? Trust me this has a point. **

He'd never felt this with Milah. This wonderful, mind-numbing pleasure was something he'd never known. He remembered bending over backwards to please his wife, yet nothing he'd ever done, save give her a son, had ever made her happy. The ugly thoughts invaded the moment like a shard of ice. He stiffened and drew away. Belle drew back in confusion and he looked away shamefully. Why had he thought of Milah? After all these years she had never once popped into his head, yet with a beautiful woman in his lap he found his thoughts flying to the wife who'd abandoned him almost thirty years ago.

"Robert?" Belle was now staring at him worry.

"Are you alright?" She asked and the concern in her enormous blue eyes made him feel guiltier than a sinner in church. He closed his eyes.

"Oh Belle." He moaned and clutched her to him, pressing her head into his chest and wrapping his arms around her slim frame. If she was confused about his sudden turn of emotion she never said so. She simply rasped him tightly and whispered softly into his neck. Her hair was wet. He realised this with no small confusion, then felt his cheeks. They were damp and he knew he was crying. God, as if he needed to feel any less manly right now.

"I'm sorry." He muttered but she shook her head.

"No, let go Robert, you can trust me." She said quietly and he tilted her face up to his. She reached up and traced his cheek with her feather-light fingertips. Her oceanic blue eyes were touched with concern.

"What were you thinking about?" She asked and he flinched.

"My wife." He admitted guiltily and she frowned. He looked away but her fingers moved to his chin and yanked his face back towards her. Her eyes were all he could see but they weren't angry, nor were they even the slightest bit upset.

"You must have loved her very much." She said sympathetically but he shook his head.

"Milah gave me my boy." He said reluctantly. Old memories sprang from the recesses of his mind, making him wince.

"She was a woman who wanted more from life than a husband who spun wool or a small town penned in by sheep fields." He said softly and Belle tilted her head quizzically. He sighed and leaned back into his chair.

"Milah. Was she beautiful?" She asked and he tilted his head thoughtfully. Milah MacLane had indeed been a pretty lass but the thing Robert remembered the most about her was deep brown eyes and a tongue sharp enough to temper steel.

"Quite but that was not what attracted me to her." He said finally.

"She was a bit older than me, more experienced. I was fifteen… I will admit I was besotted with her but every boy worth his salt was." He murmured, feeling the old bitterness rise within him.

"Some would say she took advantage of me, I'd just lost both my parents and she was looking for a good time I expect… one that didn't involve a baby boy some nine months later." He smirked as he said it and Belle flushed. He rubbed her cheek tenderly.

"I loved Bae from the moment I first held him in my arms, and I loved her too for giving him to me but what I had with Milah is very different to what I have with you Belle and I don't ever want you to think that whenever I'm with you I'm thinking of her. I haven't thought about her in almost 30 years… God I am old." He muttered amusedly. She frowned and he held up a hand.

"That's beside the point. What I mean is Belle, you are not a replacement for my wife. You will never be a replacement for anyone. I lo- You are one of the best damn things that ever happened to me and I want you to know that." He cursed internally at the momentary slip but Belle smiled. If his words had hurt, she never showed.

"You're taking this better than I thought, most women would clobber a sod over the head if they found out he thought of other women…" He trailed off and her eyes danced with dark amusement.

"Oh I'll think of a way to get you back, don't you worry." She promised and he grinned.

**And we're back…**

Her hands slipped beneath his waist band and he whimpered as the slim digits wrapped themselves around his rapidly hardening member. Slowly, carefully, she traced her fingernails along the underside of his stiffened length and he growled, leaning forward to bite sharply into the soft flesh of her neck. She moaned loudly and tightened her grip, which in turn made him bite harder. He drew back and saw a darkening mark on the skin of her neck. A feral sensation worked its way inside him and he wanted the world to see that mark, to know it was his, that she was his. He brought her close and traced the spot with his tongue, making her gasp and quiver against him. Her hands began to work again and he groaned against her.

"Belle." He muttered breathlessly. In response, his angel simply moved quicker, sliding her hand up to take the first traces of wetness from his tip and smear it down his length to make her job that bit easier. She squeezed gently and he bucked into her hand shamelessly. He began to pant pathetically and drew her mouth to his without even the slightest semblance of grace. His teeth clicked against her hers awkwardly but neither seemed to care, he merely dove his tongue deeper into her mouth as the building fire in his abdomen began to increase. He shifted her slightly, so that her willowy thighs slid over his to straddle his lap. She began to rock against his hips to meet his own semi-desperate thrusts. He grasped her teasing little hand and tugged it away despite her moans of protest, hungrily tilted her hips forward to plunge into her. She stopped whinging immediately and began to squirm. He groaned, her movements making him strain the boundaries of all possible self-control, but allowed her a moment to adjust. She was, after all, just the merest shade of experienced and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. Carefully he guided her first, tentative movements. With his hands on her hips Belle began to pace herself, test the waters of her new position. Little moans escaped her as she moved and he kissed her sweetly. Robert gently stroked her waist, tracing his palms over the silken skin as she relaxed, allowing him to slide even deeper into her velvet heat. His fingers travelled around to the undersides of her breasts and she arched into him, just as his own hips began to move forward. She clutched at his shoulders and her neck lolled back, exposing her neck and breasts for his attention. He latched onto one of her pert, raspberry-red nipples and sucked eagerly, melting internally at the exited little moans his mouth induced from her. She rocked harder, setting the pace as he sucked harder upon her sensitive tip. The angle of her position sent him deeper and deeper into her and she began to pant, her slickened walls clamping around him sporadically. He reached between them with one hand to rub against her nerve bundle and she keened loudly as her walls fluttered and clenched. The sensation made him groan. Sweat beaded his brow but he fought to make sure she came first. If he went to pieces, it wouldn't bode well.

"Come on sweetheart, let go." He murmured softly and she let out a breathless moan that nearly made him lose his mind.

"Robert!" She exclaimed and he pressed a little harder into her dripping centre, keeping his strokes as long and deep as the chair allowed. Suddenly his Belle began to tighten and he knew he needed to see her face, to see her eyes when she came.

"Look at me darling." He begged and her cerulean blue eyes opened to peered dazedly into his. They glistened in the sliver of morning light, glazed over with pleasure, and Robert knew he had never seen a more beautiful sight in all his time on earth. Suddenly she began to stiffen all over.

"Robert!" She screamed as her walls clamped around him tightly and her whole body arched against him. Her mouth was open in a perfect 'o', her back arched impossibly as her hands clenched and released into his shoulders. He held her as she spasmed and her soft walls sent him over the brink not a second or so later. His mind went wonderfully blank but he continued to ride out the waves of pleasure until they both settled against one another exhaustedly. He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her slim shoulders and pressing feverish kisses on every inch of her face. She simply lay against him, slack and completely motionless in his embrace. After a moment she drew back and he smiled as she pressed her forehead against his. Her lips were swollen from his assault and her hair was mussed around her head like some deranged birds-nest. She looked well and truly sated and it made him glow with pleasure that he had caused that. He was still buried deep within her and it felt extraordinary.

**I tried to keep it short and sweet… hope you enjoyed you naughty things. **

Several times he tried to speak but each time he simply closed his mouth and sighed. These moments were fragile, one wrong word and he could destroy them forever. With that in mind he simply held Belle close to his chest and cradled her like the precious jewel she was. Vaguely he became aware that she was saying something.

"What?" She asked eloquently and Belle laughed, a merry sound that made him grin dazedly.

"I asked if you would like some tea?" She said bemusedly and he couldn't help it; he laughed. For a long time it was all he could do to simply breathe normally as wave after wave of cackles overcame him. Belle sat stiffly on his lap but after a while joined him, the two of them chortling into one another's necks as the absurdity of the situation overcame them.

"Alright, not my best moment." She admitted sheepishly and he drew back to tap her on the nose.

"On the contrary, I would love one." He said and she quirked a brow.

"Then you'll have to let me go." She pointed out sensibly and he was torn. On one hand he had a fiendish need to see her prepare his tea completely naked, on the other he had no desire to let her go.

"No need to look as though the world were at stake." She teased and he pressed a small kiss to her lips.

"It could well be." He grumbled and she laughed delightedly. She edged away and he slid from her. She tried to take the blanket but he held it tightly, daring her to protest. In response she simply tossed her russet curls defiantly and stood. A moment later she wobbled and he grinned.

"Problem?" He asked innocently as she straightened herself on trembling legs. She scowled and stood with as much dignity as she could.

"Just a small one, but it'll pass." She muttered and he frowned.

"Are you alright?" He asked warily and she nodded, a teasing look flickering across her features. She winked and moved away from his chair, naked as the day she was born. The little minx _waltzed_ towards the tea table. His mouth went dry at the sight of her lithe body, bending and twisting gracefully as she prepared their tea cups. He had seen her perform this same act countless times yet he doubted, in this moment, that there was any action more erotic than tea making. As she approached she handed him his chipped cup, the one she had broken all those weeks ago, and resettled herself sideways on his lap. She pulled the blanket around her shoulders and sent him a frigid glance when he opened his mouth to complain.

"It's cold." She said tartly and he rolled his eyes. She raised her on cup to her lips and sighed happily as she drank.

"Are you sure sweetheart?" He asked, his tone making it clear what he was asking, and this time it was Belle who rolled her eyes.

"Absolutely." She said and he smiled, relaxing into his chair and closing his eyes as she continued to sip contentedly at her tea. Silence reigned until she finished, then she got up and moved towards the wall.

"I have to get dressed." She said in a bewildered tone and he chuckled, standing up and moving towards her. Her eyes widened as he approached but then darkened playfully. She seemed ready to say something when another knock at the door interrupted the moment yet again.

"Can a man get a little privacy these days?" He asked exasperatedly and Belle sniggered.

"No murdering the help." She teased and he growled.

"It's a tempting notion." He retorted darkly, making her scowl.

"I'll be upstairs." She said quietly and disappeared behind the secret doorway. But not before she dropped the blanket and winked over her naked shoulder. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair irritably. Whoever had interrupted was going to be the sorriest sot ever to have walked the earth. Returning to his chair he yelled over his shoulder for the person to enter and scowled when the damn Lucas woman walked in to collect the tea tray.

_OoOoOoO_

Belle sighed as her aching body came into contact with the steaming water in the bath tub, settling herself happily into the soothing liquid and reclining her head against the rim. There was an unfamiliar, though not entirely unpleasant, throb between her legs and her torso felt especially sensitive to the touch but overall she was blissfully floating on a sea of euphoria. Idly she knew she should feel terrible or, at the very least, guilty for having given into sex before marriage. It went against everything she had ever been told was right. Yet, for some reason, she couldn't have given more of a damn about what was right and what was wrong unless God himself asked her opinion on the matter. Being in Robert's arms, having him inside her, had been some of the most magical experiences she'd ever known and she'd be damned if she felt guilty about being so completely happy. It was her life anyway, she would do as she pleased and no one could say yea or nay. That agreement settled Belle relaxed and almost dosed off until a faint noise made her peer around.

"Robert!" She shrieked as he limped over to the tub and began to undress. He grinned wolfishly as each article of clothing was deliberately removed, his amber eyes glowing.

"What are you doing?" She asked, scandalised. He sniggered.

"What does it look like?" He asked wryly and she flushed when he stood before her, completely naked. She still had a hard time believing that he had been inside her, considering the size of his… member. She turned her face away slightly until he settled himself before her and only then did she look to see the wariness had returned to his gaze. She knew he was fractured, terribly so, but the extent at which she could hurt him still made her wonder. She inched towards him and pressed her lips to his. She turned until she was settled between his knees, pressing her back into his chest and wrapping his arms around her. She rested against him and sighed contentedly. She felt his lips grace the top of her head and smiled.

"Where is your son?" She asked quietly and the muscles of his abdomen stiffen against her back. She bit her bottom lip and squeezed his forearms, which had tensed as much as his abdomen.

"Never mind, a question for another time." She said dismissively. Tense silence flowed and she stared towards the oriental screen in wonder.

"I have always wanted to see the world, since I was a little girl. It sounded so fascinating in all the books I just wanted to be a part of it all." She murmured and tilted her face towards his. He was watching her warily and she grinned.

"Do you know where I most want to go?" She asked, turning back to her prior position. He relaxed again. A hand began to trace down her back and had she been a cat she would have purred with pleasure.

"Where?" He asked and she tilted her head to the side.

"Australia." She murmured as he drizzled water over her shoulders. He let out an amused sound which he tried to cover with a cough.

"Like the idea of a hulking great desert at the bottom of the world do we sweetheart?" He teased lightly and she frowned petulantly. She loved his new endearment but the insult to her dream destination was unnecessary. She remembered all the travel journals she'd read as a child. The thousand or so articles about the temples and pyramids of Egypt, the amazing Andes mountains in South America and even the Great Wall in China, all of which sizzled with culture so exotic she often wondered if it were real. Yet there was always that one, somewhat inconspicuous, paradise at the bottom of the world that kept calling to her. She smiled and settled against his chest again.

"But it's so much more than that!" She gushed.

"It's freedom; freedom unlike anything you or I could ever imagine! For once I'd love to be free of all expectation, to be whoever and whatever I want to be without the slightest care. That desert as you call it, it's wild and unpredictable! It's filled with never-ending flood plains, ancient mountain ranges covered with snow, crystalline beaches that stretch for miles and of course wide, sandy wastes that you couldn't cross in an entire month. There are roads there that lead right into the heart of nowhere, we're you can stare for hours and see nothing but a vast horizon that changes from the brightest red you've ever seen to the bluest midnight sparkling with a thousand glittering stars. No towns, no city for miles! There's nothing to hold you back! No one to tell you who to be or what, everything I could ever want is there." She said and he snorted.

"Except the world's deadliest snakes, a blistering sun and a vast array of spiders. You might want to steer clear of those." He muttered and she scowled.

"Laugh all you want but I find that, beneath all the heat, spiders and snakes, there's no place on earth I'd rather be." She said and he lapsed into silence.

"Scotland is something of a rainy place, but I can tell you right now that unless you've seen the highland glacier valleys in early spring keep you opinions about the world's most beautiful place on hold." He said and she turned to face him. His eyes were glossed over and she smiled. He was obviously back to that glacier valley.

"What else?" She asked and he sighed.

"Lochs so still and deep they reflect the very sky like a mirror. Enormous fjords that slice through the earth like knives topped with snow and cloud. It's magic yet so very real, you couldn't drag yourself away with a thousand wild horses." He said hoarsely and she grinned.

"Were you always a spinner?" She asked and he nodded.

"Oh yes, it was something I was good at, not much in the way of profit but useful and somewhat therapeutic." Robert murmured and she smiled. The man did like to spin.

"I'd very much like to open a library." She said and felt his eyes shift from memory to present. He looked down at her and smiled.

"You do have a fondness for books, I wonder if you'd be any good or if you would simply sit and read all day." He teased and she hit him in the chest half-heartedly.

"I would make a most excellent librarian Mr Gold. My house had the largest library this side of the Rockies and I spent most of my time arranging it when I wasn't hiding away from my governesses." She said and he made an interested noise.

"What happened to your library?" He asked and she sighed.

"Papa lost all his investment capital in the crash, we had to sell most of our assets to keep out of debt and when my mother got sick, we spent most of the money we had on her medicines until… she died." Belle whispered hoarsely and felt arms wrap around her gently. She swallowed thickly and wiped her face doggedly.

"I'm sorry." Robert soothed and she shook her head sadly.

"She was in pain, now she isn't. It was probably for the best." She said and they stayed quiet for a long time, the water cooling slowly around them.

_OoOoOoO_

"Ah, she emerges." An amused voice said as Belle entered the kitchen well after midday. The woman in question froze and peered at the three women sitting by the kitchen table warily. Straightening bravely she walked towards them and sat down cautiously upon the only remaining seat, her chin raised and her eyes daring any of them to say what was obviously on their minds. Ruby cracked first.

"Did I interrupt something this morning?" She asked innocently. Belle flushed and looked into her lap.

"I was wondering why he seemed more pissed off than usual, now I know." Her best friend teased. Ashley and Mary Margret snorted into their cups of coffee before Belle glared at them.

"I would thank you to not go blathering around about this to anyone." Belle said quietly and her friend's happy expressions dropped at her sombre tone.

"Are you okay Belle?" Mary asked gently and Ashley's eyes widened.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" She demanded and Belle hurriedly waved her hands to quell the sudden rabble.

"No, no, no! I'm alright, in fact I'm more than alright it's just, if anyone were to find out, outside us of course, it would put him in a rather vulnerable position. Please, I beg you not to tell, if not for him then for me." She said desperately and her three friends quickly promised.

"I bet you're hungry." Ruby said and the embarrassing rumble that came from Belle's stomach was all the answer she needed. Belle blushed as the other three giggled and a plate of sandwiches was placed in front of her. She wolfed it down in mere moments and smiled as she sat back on her stool. Ruby had turned the radio back on and both Mary and Ash had lit cigarettes, the soft smoke drifting lazily about the silent kitchen. Belle straightened.

"Where's Granny?" She asked curiously and Ruby sighed.

"Oh I expect she'd off rousing on your… Mr Gold. Some chandelier needs replacing or some other such nonsense, you know how she gets." Ash said and Belle nodded, taking the time to pour herself a strong cup from the fresh batch. The memory of the last time she'd made a warm cup of tea came rushing back to her and she flushed heavily, earning herself a trio of curious glances and a muffled negative to their queries.

"Just a bit hot." She mumbled weakly and Ruby sniggered.

"Right." She drawled and the trio glanced between themselves with no small amusement.

"Please tell me I'm not going to be finding the pair of you shacking up all over the building. I don't need the added excitement." Ruby teased and Belle, who'd just taken another sip of tea, choked violently on the warm liquid. As she gagged Ashley thumped her on the back and glared at the curvy brunette.

"Oh give her a break Ruby; I do not want to hear the details." She scolded and Belle shot her a grateful look through steaming eyes.

"But I do, tell me every disgusting, filthy little detail." Ruby demanded cheekily and Mary shuddered.

"Please don't." She murmured quietly and shifted on her seat. Ruby glared at her compatriots in mock outrage.

"You abandoned me." She accused and the pair shrugged.

"To be entirely honest, it's not really in my best interests to know how good Mr Gold is in bed. No offence Belle." Mary said and Belle waved it off, her face flaming.

"Oh you two are no fun." Ruby pouted and folded her arms over her chest sulkily. She looked for all the world like a child who'd been denied their favourite toy. Belle shook her head in bemusement.

"You're impossible." She said to the willowy woman who nodded smugly.

"Yes indeed, and proud of it." She chorused primly and the four of them cackled. Belle sighed happily, knowing now that she'd been worried about what he friends would think of her. She should have known they'd have never judged her.

"Thank you." She said quietly and they all looked at her.

"You're all taking this so well. You guys are like the sisters I never had and I'd hate to have lost you over all of this." She said nervously and was suddenly engulfed by a flurry of arms and excited cries. When she could breathe and hear clearly again she drew back and pressed a hand to her heaving chest.

"Belle you're our baby sister now, we'll always stand by you. Just because your… man, can sometimes be a jerk doesn't mean we won't support your happiness." Mary said firmly and Ashley nodded.

"Not to mention if he ever hurts you, we know exactly where to find him." She added cheekily and Belle snorted.

"I'm sure he'll be terrified." She said with a straight face, then giggled and took another sip of her tea. They four women settled back into their seats and began to chat about everything and nothing, a common enough gift that most women are well endowed with.

"That writer was back." Ashley said and Belle perked up.

"August?" She asked and the blonde girl nodded.

"Yes and quiet the catch too, if I wasn't planning to marry Thomas." She said and Mary snorted. Belle felt her eyebrows rise in surprise.

"Already?" She asked and Ashley nodded excitedly.

"He's trying to get enough money together for a ring, then he'll ask and we're gone." She said excitedly and Ruby frowned.

"Have you spoken to Gold about this?" She asked worriedly and the pretty blonde woman sighed.

"No, but I was hoping that he'd be alright with it. I mean, it's one less person to pay and this depression isn't getting any easier." She said softly, looking around at her friends with a worried frown marring her porcelain features.

"But, what if Thomas doesn't get enough. I mean, it's great that you'll be married but, what if it's not enough. You can't work here if you're expecting and the only other thing out there is domestic help. You wanted out of that remember?" Mary told her best friend distractedly. Belle scowled as Ashley bundled herself up for a re-buttle.

"Enough! Let's leave that particular problem for when we come to it. Right now we should be congratulating Ash, she's going to be a married woman soon." She said bracingly and Ashley's drooping face brightened. She looked ready to say something when a sharp voice called form the doorway.

"If you four are done gossiping, we have a visitor." Granny said roughly and the group turned to see a small, dark-haired figure poke his head out from behind the bulk of Granny's skirts. Belle smiled widely and waved Henry over. He ran over and threw himself into her arms. She squeezed him close to her then released him to the other three, who embraced him just as tightly. Granny brought over a mug of hot chocolate and when he protested scowled.

"That's quite enough young man; _he _can surely pay for it." She said sternly and Belle rolled her eyes. As Henry sipped at the tasty beverage he chatted avidly about school and how the new teacher didn't like him.

"She keeps saying to get my head out of the clouds and focus on what's really important but how can I when there's a whole city of evil criminals out there?" He demanded and Belle shook her head.

"I choose to believe there are no evil people in this world Henry, just people who make a lot of wrong choices. A shadow cannot exist without light and light cannot be appreciated without shadow." She said softly and ruffled the thick hair on Henry's head affectionately. He scowled playfully and ducked away.

"Oh I almost forgot," The boy said suddenly and reached into his satchel to remove a folded newspaper from the bulky depths. He handed it to Belle and bit his lip apprehensively.

"You might want to have a look at that." Henry said worriedly and Belle paused in her perusal of the flimsy paper. She looked over at him and quirked an eyebrow.

"Why?" She asked and he shifted in his seat.

"Mum was called in early this morning. She dropped me off at the office and one of the beat cops was talking about suicides…how they found the hundredth one this year or something, except, I don't know about this one." He swallowed and Belle opened the first page to peer at the article the young boy was pointing to. As her eyes scanned the first couple of lines Belle felt as though her gut had suddenly received a great kick. She blinked and set the newspaper down.

"Ruby?" She murmured weakly and the other woman picked up the newspaper in a flash. She read the article and hissed.

"But we saw him yesterday, he was fine." She muttered and Belle nodded stonily.

"What does it say?" Mary asked and Belle licked her suddenly bone dry lips.

"It's a report on the suicide of my ex-fiance, Gaston De Ravine. Apparently, sometime late yesterday afternoon he flung himself off the Brooklyn Bridge…"

**Ha ha, another cliffy because I'm evil. I'm so sorry for the long wait but I'm on holidays now so I should be back on track with regular updates or at least more updates closer together. Please, please, please review. I know I don't deserve it right now but its nearly Christmas :P **


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

**Alright, the great revealing time is now upon us. This chapter was very interesting to say the least. I was not sure how I wanted to reveal Rum, it was a big decision on my part and for that reason I decided that if he is to be revealed it is he who is going to do most of the talking to Belle… after all I believe it is essential to preserving some mystery surrounding Robert's inner thoughts at this point. On another note, I am sorry for the slower updates but Christmas came and I was busy… late present *holds out Chrissie pudding for everyone* Please enjoy this new chapter, I sure did. **

There was a heavy silence throughout the cramped little kitchen. Belle gazed around at the circle of familiar faces and swallowed heavily. No one moved a muscle or spoke and the floor became the most interesting place in the building, with everyone suddenly finding small and previously un-noticeable flaws in the faded clay tiles infinitely more exciting than a russet-haired woman holding a newspaper. Belle felt the newspaper fall from her limp fingers and hit the ground with a soft rustle, the dark, printed words staring up at her accusingly. She studiously ignored its offensive stare and tried to focus. Her mind was buzzing numbly, as though a swarm of bees were flying about her skull through a deep fog. Try as she might she simply couldn't find the right words to say. Her mouth worked soundlessly and her throat felt dry as a desert. She had to swallow several times before her worked up enough saliva to dampen her mouth and looked up to see Ruby's brown eyes were almost as wide as she knew hers to be. They shared a long look before Belle was able to formulate a coherent sentence.

"Gaston… dead." She said weakly and held a hand to her temple, trying to sooth the ache she felt growing there. It couldn't be possible, not Gaston. Mary Margret stood up and picked the fallen paper from the floor, brushing the dust from its leaves and cocking her head pensively as she read the small article. When she'd finished she handed it to Ashley who flicked her gaze over it briefly before tossing it onto the table with the air of one ridding herself of a cockroach or a particularly heinous garment.

"You might not want to think about this for too long Belle." Mary said solemnly and the three other women in the room shared meaningful looks over the top of Henry's head. The young boy glanced between them and then at Belle curiously, moving to wrap his arm around her shoulders. Belle however felt anger stirring deep inside her.

"And why would I want to do that?" She demanded tartly and felt a glimmer of satisfaction when Ruby winced. Her best friend turned to her and Belle saw there was a pleading look in her eyes.

"Just, try to let it go… he's dead and nothing can change that." She said tightly and Belle sneered furiously.

"Oh and I should just sit here and do nothing about it, whatever he did, whatever choices he made in last few weeks of his life, he didn't deserve this… he was my friend at one point. How can turn my back on all that and act as though it were nothing?" She demanded and Ruby grimaced.

"You're with Mr Gold now Belle and you're happy. You need to forget Gaston and try to move on as best you can." Belle opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a short cry from Henry.

"You're with Mr Gold?" He demanded incredulously and Belle turned to look him straight in the eyes. She nodded, her features softening at the growing look of confusion and hurt in his trusting gaze.

"But… what about being my Lady?" He asked and Belle felt her heart clench at the sweet words. All the women in the room had similar looks on their faces and Belle hurriedly wrapped her arms around Henry's thin shoulders, tucking his dark head under her chin and smiling faintly.

"Oh Henry, I will always be your Lady." She said and drew back to see him glaring at her doubtfully. She tapped him playfully on the nose.

"I still need a valiant knight to defend my honour." Belle reminded him solemnly and he tugged his beloved book tighter to his chest. He was staring at her anxiously and Belle tried not to feel like a hypocrite.

"You mean it?" He asked fervently, his brown eyes wide with desperate hope. She nodded and he finally smiled.

"Okay, but if Mr Gold ever hurts you I'll… I'll kill him." He stammered thinly and Belle chuckled, thinking of a child taking on the almighty Mr Gold. It was both impossibly sweet and by far the most facetious thought to grace her brain for a good while.

"My hero." She said graciously and he sighed happily, smoothing the edges of his book. An old thought crept into Belle's mind as she watched him.

"Henry, can I see that for a moment?" She asked and he nodded, eager to show off his pride and joy. Belle opened the scrap-book and laid it down gently on the counter, running her hands over the old clippings and flicking through until she reached the page she wanted.

"Is that…" Ashley murmured, moving to stand behind Belle and peer over her shoulder at the old photograph. Belle nodded slowly.

"That's Robert." She said softly and ran a hand over the glossy print, showing a group of young men in resplendid military garb staring solemnly out at her from the pages of the scrap-book. And it was too. Standing shoulder to shoulder with a group of young man about half his age Robert looked dashing in his uniform, but there was a underlying sadness to his face that Belle had begun to associate with regret. That look gnawed at her heart as she stared at it but an overwhelming desire to have the photo overpowered her.

"Can I take this out?" She asked breathlessly and Henry thought hard for a long moment, unwilling to depart with any of his precious criminal memorabilia. Then he smiled and nodded.

"Sure." He replied flippantly and Belle kissed his cheek gratefully. Carefully she slipped her nails beneath the photo and prized it away from the paper, flipping it over to see an untidy scrawl on the back. The date read the 29th of June 1916, but apart for a few letters Belle couldn't make out much beyond B-something Guild. Shrugging she tucked the photo away in her waist band and sighed, her eyes alighting on the newspaper, still sitting on the table. It was all too soon. After such a beautiful night, all this tragedy… it was simply too much. A sudden thought dawned late in her brain and she frowned.

"He wouldn't…" She breathed, a sickening feeling creeping into her stomach. Then she shook her head.

"Suicide." She reminded herself determinedly.

"Gaston committed suicide." She repeated, louder this time and just loud enough to be heard by Ruby. The other woman tensed but otherwise gave no other outward sign that she had heard. Odd, Belle pondered as she took up her abandoned tea cup and sipped the now lukewarm tea inside. Gazing around Belle tried to lift her unsettled mood from her mind. Henry was chatting animatedly with Ashley, who was charging through a-mile-a-minute about her future plans. The boy looked slightly overwhelmed but pleased as the others had been about Ashley's oncoming nuptials. Belle's gaze fell on Mary Margret who was fighting back a rather large and incredibly unladylike yawn. Catching the beautiful woman's gaze Belle raised an amused eyebrow, making the other woman cough self-consciously.

"Long night?" Belle teased and Mary rolled her eyes.

"Oh you can bet your bottom dollar." She retorted and Ashley sniggered.

"More than that I'd say, with Prince Charming coming every night now… you'll be having regulars up to your eyeballs before you know it." Ashley teased, making Ruby guffaw gracelessly and Henry frown in bewilderment. Mary Margret on the other hand blushed beat red and folded her arms defensively across her chest. A stubborn glare replaced her air of bemused calm and she scowled at the blonde.

"David is just a client." She muttered and Ashley sniggered. Belle decided that, although interested by this particular turn of events, the subject was getting far too close to sex for a ten year olds' chances. She coughed pointedly and the pair broke off, glancing at her and then Henry with great embarrassment before moving deliberately onto the fine weather New York was having now. Ruby snorted and offered Henry another cup of hot chocolate but just as she moved to put the kettle on the boy let out a strangled shriek. His face had become ashen as he looked at the clock over the door.

"No! School ends in fifteen minutes! Mum's going to kill me if she finds out I skipped again." He moaned and buried his head in his hands. Belle was torn between laughter and concern. Deciding to border between the two she pried his hands away from his face and gave him her sternest glance.

"Now why aren't you at school in the first place?" She asked and he blushed. She chuckled slightly.

"I was meeting someone." He said and Belle raised her eyebrow expectantly. He buttoned up and looked at his feet, apparently to stay so until the matter was dropped. Belle rolled her eyes and lifted his chin.

"Fine, don't tell me but you have fourteen and a half minutes to get to school… what are you going to do about it?" She asked dryly and Henry's shoulders slumped pitifully.

"Mum's going to kill me." He moaned and Belle shook her head bemusedly. Honestly, whoever had decided that women were to be considered the more melodramatic sex had never met a young man in their lives, or purposely forgotten what they had been like when they were younger. There was a simple enough solution, it just depended on how much ground she had to stand on now.

"Come on, let's see if we can't rectify this situation." Belle said and, giving Ruby a calculating glance, placed her hand on Henry's shoulder and guided him from the room towards the stairwell. He stumbled slightly as he struggled to pull his satchel on over his shoulder _and_ follow her up the winding staircase to the third floor, so Belle stopped to help him put it on before taking his hand and moving towards Robert's study door. She knocked quietly and waited.

"Intrude." A familiar voice called and she smiled. Henry looked as though he were about to be sick. She smiled encouragingly.

"A Mr Swan to see you Mr Gold." She said as she opened the door and escorted a now almost entirely wooden Henry inside. Closing it firmly behind her she pushed the reluctant boy towards the centre of the room. Robert sat behind his desk and had looked up with a smile on his face. Her heart beat hard against her ribs and she longed to run her hands through his thick hair, to trace his mouth with her fingers. She noticed that the smile dimmed only a little when he saw she was with company and although he only nodded politely at Henry, she knew that he wasn't displeased with the boy's arrival. Henry however, seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Half terrified, half petrified he gazed at Mr Gold with a complexion usually seen of freshly collected cadavers.

"Well now Master Swan, what is it that I can do for you?" Robert asked, spreading his hands wide. Henry shrank back slightly. Belle sighed and placed her hand around his shoulders.

"I was wondering if I may borrow Carlyle for a while… you see Henry here decided that school was not important and has 12 minutes and 48 seconds until his mother arrives to pick him up." She answered and tried to stifle her smile when a fiendish glint appeared in Robert's amber eyes.

"A deal is it? Well you've come to the right place, but I must ask… what would I be getting in return?" He asked playfully, in a way that only Belle could really see it as so, and Henry swallowed loudly. He missed the playful glint, as had been the point, and tried to speak through a rolled up tongue.

"I don't have anything." He said honestly after a few false starts and looked at the floorboards glumly. He held his satchel tightly before his chest like a shield and sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry Mr Gold, but I cannot pay you." He said softly and Belle sent a pleading look at Robert to drop the act. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"You've put me in a very delicate position lad. If I give you something for nothing then my reputation is ruined, yet if I don't give you something I'm sensing more than a little retribution is on hand… would I be correct dearie?" He asked nonchalantly, his honey-brown eyes fixed directly on Belle. She nodded firmly. He sighed and lent back in his chair, gripping the table edge momentarily before bringing his fingers up and poising them before his face in a steepled series of triangles. He looked quite serious, his face lined with thought. Belle bit her lip, worried for the first time that he might actually refuse. His reputation meant more to him than most peoples'; perhaps she'd misjudged him after all. Her sickening feeling returned but she kept a brave face on when Henry glanced up at her worriedly. She ruffled his hair and looked at Robert. It would have been easier trying to gauge an emotion from marble that a hint from his face.

"Tick tock, dearie tick tock." Robert murmured, almost to himself, and stood. Grabbing his cane he rounded the table and approached them. He eyed the boy before him, placing both hands atop his cane and pursing his lips thoughtfully.

"I will do this little deal, for free Master Swan, if you solemnly swear that you will never tell another living soul about it, so long as you shall live." He said seriously to Henry who, after a moment's careful deliberation, held out his hand. Robert smiled and shook the proffered limb firmly. Belle grinned, hiding it expertly when Henry glanced her way in obvious relief.

"Excellent… shall we be off?" Robert asked idly and Belle frowned.

"But…" She began and he rolled his eyes.

"Don't you trust me Belle? Carlyle is waiting." He said softly and walked to hold the door open for them both. Henry let out the breath he'd been holding and as Belle passed Robert she smiled gratefully into his face. He smirked and indicated for her to move along. In minutes they were downstairs and out of the Palace, looking out onto a sleek black vehicle Belle remembered from her earliest days at the Palace. The same solid looking Carlyle stood before the door and held it open as the three of them clambered inside quickly. Henry sat between Belle and Robert and the back seat atmosphere grew steadily thicker as the minutes ticked by in silence.

"So, this girl you're meeting… pretty is she?" Robert asked quietly and Henry gasped. He stared up at Gold in naked astonishment as the man chuckled.

"How did you- Never mind." Henry said after a moment's thought and Belle snorted quietly. Mortified at the sound she looked out of her window as two sets of eyes peered her way, glancing up into the dreamy blue sky with a small smile.

"Ava. Her name is Ava." Henry said softly and Belle pouted over his head at Gold.

_How did you do that? _She mouthed and he shrugged smugly.

_Secret men's business. _He mouthed back. Henry twiddled with his bag and sighed.

"My Mum will kill me, then Graham going to resuscitate me… and then he's probably going to kill me again." Henry said stoutly, making Belle laugh.

"I highly doubt that." She said and Henry scowled.

"You've probably never seen my Mum in a rage… it's scary." Henry murmured and Belle nodded seriously, struggling to contain her amusement.

"I'm sure it is." She agreed, watching Robert's mouth tighten as he fought to keep from smirking. It nearly set her off and she held her breath determinedly as they cleared another intersection. When the danger passed Belle sighed.

"Thank you for coming today Henry, I appreciate it." She said and he nodded.

"I'm sorry about your fiancé." He said and Belle swallowed as Robert's whole body stiffened. Henry, unaware of the danger, simply frowned and shuffled anxiously in his seat. Belle watched Robert warily as she answered.

"I'm sure it was just an accident Henry, it's sad but that's life." She said softly and tried to ignore the way her lover's fist clenched tightly around the handle of his cane. They made it to Henry's school with just half a minute to spare and Henry was over Belle's knees and out of the car before either adult could move a muscle. He paused by the gate and waved back at them.

"THANK YOU." He shouted and barrelled into the grim looking building. Belle slumped back in her seat the moment he was out of sight and exhaled loudly, ignoring the man beside her. She was tired, she was emotional spent and the last thing she cared about was what Robert was thinking in terms of her well-established behaviour. As the car slid forward both occupants spoke.

"What the hell was that all about?" They asked at the same time and started in instinctual surprise. Perturbed, Belle folded her arms before her chest and glared at the hem of her skirt. Robert straightened and fixed his eyes on the back of the driver's seat. Silence continued until Belle rolled her eyes.

"Well?" She demanded and felt his amber eyes glance in her direction.

"I'm sure as hell not putting my foot in that particular trap." He retorted and Belle scowled.

"Why did you do it?" She asked, changing tact. He started guiltily.

"If I remember clearly, you said along the lines of 'If I give you something for nothing then my reputation is ruined', correct me if I'm wrong." Belle murmured, fighting the urge to smirk. She looked over to see him staring directly at her face and quickly whipped her face to the front. To her surprise she felt long, tapered fingers reach into her lap and pluck her own hands away, entwining themselves around her own smaller digits. The fact that she was holding hands, with Mr Gold of all people, was as strange as it was endearing. She looked up and saw he was staring at their enfolded hands as though waiting for her to pull away, a thin and rather ineffective mask on his face. She squeezed his hand and smiled.

"You're changing." She said quietly, not boldly but certainly enough for him to acknowledge if he wished. He did, sniffing audibly.

"Can I not just like the boy?" He asked candidly and Belle moved over the seat to sidle into his side, tucking her head into his shoulder and bringing their hands into her lap.

"Of course, it's just not something most people would expect you to do." She said and sighed quietly.

"It's nice." She said and he snorted.

"I'm not nice dearie. I'm not even all that fair, I make deals, I tell half-truths and I use people to get what I want… I'm not nice." He said defiantly and Belle nodded, once again fighting the urge to smirk. Keeping her face turned away from him she nodded slowly and swallowed her laughter.

"Fine, you're not nice… but that was nice." She said stoically and he sighed melodramatically.

"You're not going to let up are you?" He asked rhetorically and Belle sniggered.

"Please, if you feel so inclined to change the subject I shall not stop you." She teased and his other hand came around to lift her chin towards him. For a moment he simply stared at her, then he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers for a brief but tender kiss. When they drew apart she noticed that his eyes had darkened to their deeper aged honey look, and reached up to stroke his cheek.

"Gaston's dead." She said softly, before she could control her mouth, without even the slightest trace of a filter between her brain and her tongue. Robert stiffened and the darkened honey flashed into a murky brown before it reverted just as quickly. He contained whatever emotion he'd felt and instead tilted his head quizzically, as though pondering some strange specimen.

"Ah yes, what a tragedy... suicide." He said, sounding for all the world as if he were discussing her opinions about the weather. Belle pursed her lips but struggled to find the right words to berate him. She decided against it, Robert had never had a reason to like Gaston and she shouldn't be surprised that his death gauged little reaction from him save nonchalance.

"And how are you? He was after all, your fiancé…" Robert drifted off and Belle started in surprise. Touched that he cared to ask she frowned in thought, trying to settle her chaotic emotions as best she could. The engagement had never really been official, more an unspoken promise that might have been probable if she brought her head out a book long enough to put some decent thought into it. It had always been more implied than anything else and Belle knew her answer would be painful but honest.

"I never cared all that much for Gaston. I suppose we weren't really ever what you'd call engaged, maybe we both thought about it but…" Belle sighed and shook her head. She felt her shoulders being tilted, so that her face was staring directly into his. His eyes were amber again, tinged with a bit of sadness.

"You had a life before all this Belle." They had had this conversation before and Belle opened her mouth to remonstrate him but he placed a finger to her lips. His face was open, all defences dropped. Belle felt privileged that he felt so comfortable around her that she got to see this vulnerable side to him, one that no one else ever saw.

"I know I've asked you this before but… are you happy? Here, with me?" He asked and Belle felt her heart contract almost painfully within her breast.

"The fact that you even ask me that makes me so terribly happy Robert. I don't think you can ever understand how happy I am." He looked satisfied and then a cocky look came over his handsome face. He leant back with a smug air and gazed at her askance.

"Did you ever feel anything for him?" Belle snorted, the answer coming quickly and easily.

"I could never love anyone as self-centred as he, it was cars this or hunting that, never about what I felt or what I thought. He didn't know a single thing about me, but he had our whole lives planned." Belle said softly.

"You know, we were going to have six or seven children, live in little rustic hunting lodge in the Rockies and guess who'd be massaging his feet every night; you guessed it." She said lightly, scowling when Robert's chest trembled beneath her ear as he fought to contain his laughter. She glared up at him and he smoothed her hair affectionately.

"Don't be like that love, I simply thought it was amusing that the oaf thought it were possible to tell you to do something you didn't want to do." Robert murmured quietly and Belle rolled her eyes. She smacked his leg and gasped when he winced rather obviously, his leg muscles tensing beneath her fingers.

"Are you alright?" She asked and he nodded, giving his right knee a small thump with his cane. Belle winced this time but his face was a smooth and solid as a stone.

"It won't ever heal, but I suppose you get used to the things that stay with you for most of your life… pain is no different." He muttered, his accent thickening as he mind fled to another place. Belle frowned worriedly.

"Have you ever seen anyone about it?" She asked hesitantly, pausing at the sight of the cold glance he gave her.

"Robert, I just want to help you… especially after you've helped me so much." She said and the fingers she'd forgotten were entwined with hers suddenly clenched almost painfully around her slim extremities. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a swift kiss to the knuckles.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He asked breathlessly and Belle was saddened at the obvious isolation he had grown accustomed to throughout his life. Had no-one shown him any kindness? So she didn't answer, just snuggled deeper into his chest.

"You don't want children?" He asked after a moment's pause and Belle frowned. The thought had never crossed her mind, she supposed that the idea of motherhood had always seemed too distant to even consider as a likely future for herself. Adventure and true love had always been more important, and in a way the very barriers she had against her idea of children. She shook her head slowly.

"Not exactly." She said and he hummed thoughtfully.

"I like children. Henry is very dear to me after all, and Grace was a lovely young woman but… I never gave it all that much thought, I wanted to see and do so much more than most I suppose the idea never truly formed itself in my head." She said and he chuckled.

"That sounds about right." He murmured and a soft kiss was pressed to her head.

"Not six or seven little de Ravine's then?" He teased and Belle scowled.

"Can you show some respect please, he only just died after all?" She rebuked and he snorted.

"Got what he deserved." He said callously and Belle frowned. Ruby's words came flooding back into her head and she stiffened.

"What do you mean?" She asked and Robert paused briefly, as though inwardly berating himself, before continuing.

"Nothing, just that death couldn't have happened to a nicer person." He retorted and Belle gasped.

"That's a horrid thing to say." She said and pulled away from him sharply. He was scowling at her now.

"Well it's not as if I liked him dearie, that's stretching the imagination a little too far even for you." He snarled and Belle hissed angrily.

"Even for me?" She repeated and he rubbed his face tiredly.

"That came out wrong, you know I don't mean it like that love." He said placatingly and tried to take her hand. Belle snatched it away and glared reproachfully over the seat at him, folding her arms back over her chest.

"You never liked Gaston, I can understand that, but you can't speak ill of the dead Robert, not like that. It makes it sound as if you think he didn't commit suicide." She muttered and her eyebrows rising at the blanching of colour from his face. Her own breath came sharply. The car was slowing and the Palace was in sight, but Belle clutched at his sleeve tightly and peered up into his face warily.

"Robert, do you know something about his death?" She asked quietly and Robert scowled.

"I know something of everything dearie." He returned off-handedly but it wasn't an answer and Belle could see the deflection from miles away.

"Robert!" She said fiercely and shook his arm for effect.

"What have you done?" She asked and he snorted, pulled his arm from her grasp as the car stopped and immediately moving to open his door. She scrambled for her own handle and stepped out of the car, peering accusingly over the top of the black roof towards him as he nodded tersely to Carlyle and limped around the back. She chased after him.

"Robert, answer the question." She demanded and he tossed his head irritably as they mounted the grey-stone stairs and entered the luminous building she now called home.

"Can't it wait Belle, at least until we're inside?" He asked bluntly, traversing the atrium with speed despite his pronounced limp. It was worse than ever now and he all but sagged as he waited for the elevator. Belle shook her head and stepped in front of him as the doors opened, holding her arm across his chest to stop his travel.

"No Robert, answer my question." She said darkly and he smirked.

"What was it again?" He taunted playfully and stepped under her arm into the elevator. Belle flinched and drew back from him, his mockery wounding her deeply. She realised that although she had thought he'd changed, nothing was further from the truth. Despite all the good he might have done, he still lashed out hurtfully at those weaker than himself. She ducked her head, hiding her anguish, and followed his lead. There was a tense silence as the rickety contraption rose to the third level, echoing loudly around them and setting Belle's already frazzled nerves on edge. Her stomach was clenching and unclenching, her mouth was dry and her whole body felt as though it had been rung through by a giant but invisible washer-woman. Wordless and hurt at his evasion she continued to trail him as they entered the corridor and walked down the dimly lit hallway. Once they were inside his office the sunlight from the windows seemed at odds with the morose mood she was now in. She stood woodenly by the door as he moved into the room and began to rummage through his desk, banging the draws shut with more force than was strictly necessary and making her wince each time. She had forgotten who he was. She watched on in silence as he collapsed into his chair and settled back in it to glare at her from across the room.

"Well?" He demanded and she swallowed.

"Robert, I don't want to fight." She said softly and he groaned.

"Belle the last thing I want to do is hurt you, you know that." He said and she stepped across the room, coming to stand before the desk and bite her lip.

"Please Robert, if you know something… Ruby said I should drop it but…"

"Then maybe you should have listened to her hm?" He said irritably and Belle slammed her fist onto the table, making him jump.

"Stop treating me like some glass figurine or one of your clients, I am not in the mood to be coddled or lied to… tell me the truth!" She yelled and he stared at her, a slightly stunned expression on his face.

"The truth? I always tell the truth, I never lie dearie." He said flippantly and Belle placed both her hands on the desk now, leaning over it with her expression screaming murder.

"Then tell it plain, Robert." She continued breathlessly and he sighed.

"Did you kill him?" She asked and the silence that stretched between them made her mouth fall open in dismay. Her knees began to shake. Robert refused to meet her gaze, fixing it to the table's gleaming surface.

"_I_ did not kill Gaston." He said finally and Belle's breath came again. Her head felt incredibly light and she gripped the table tightly for support. She sensed he was telling the truth but… he still wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Robert, look at me." She said softly and slowly, his posture screaming for retreat, his amber eyes slid upwards to meet hers.

"Now tell me, truthfully. Look in my eyes and tell me the truth." She said and his thin lips quivered weakly. His face spasmed horribly and he swallowed.

"My beautiful Belle, the truth is overrated." He said and she felt her eyes begin to burn with tears.

"You don't trust me." She said and he shook his head.

"More than I should, more than anyone ever, but if I tell you, you will leave…"

"No! I won't leave, no matter how bad you think it is, no matter what you've done, I won't leave you! Robert please!" She begged and her voice cracked as the first sob tore itself from her throat.

"NO!" He cried, his voice terribly loud. She shrank back but realised with a start that he was not talking to her. He was cowering back in his chair, his hands over his face, moaning and pleading quietly. Belle drew near again and tried to understand him, her hand stretching across the surface of the desk towards him.

"No, no, no, no. Please no, not now." He said and Belle's stomach stopped clenching, only to start doing somersaults. Her fingers brushed his arm and he gasped, leaping back and turning the chair over in his haste to move away.

"Don't touch me!" He screamed and Belle gaped at him in shock. His voice was ragged, his face contorted into harrowing lines of pain and anguish. He trembled all over and his eyes were flashing, colours sliding in and out of view as he leant heavily against the desk. His delicate hands sought his cane but it fell with a clatter to the floor. Without thought Belle moved around and picked it up, holding it horizontally to the floor and staring in wide eyed shock as Robert's whole body began to jerk.

"Robert!" She cried and his face screwed up in the effort to speak through the pain.

"Belle, whatever…. Ah! Happens you must… stay calm! AH!" He screamed and Belle clapped a hand to her mouth, tears streaming down her face as his legs gave out beneath him and he fell to the floor, quivering and thrashing sporadically. She crouched beside him and tried once more to help but the moment she touched him he roared at her to move away.

"Please Belle, please go." He moaned and she shook her head fiercely, seating herself down beside him but carefully making sure she didn't antagonise him further by touching him.

"I'm not going anywhere Robert, I won't leave you." She said determinedly and clutched his cane hard enough to snap it in two. What was going on? She debated on whether calling for help would be of any use, and decided against it after only a second's thought.

"What's happening Robert?" She demanded, her eyes burning as she watched him heave once more, his face a grim mask of agony as he fought whatever was happening inside him. It was as though he were wrestling with some unseen person, or even a demon…

"For the last time Belle, go now… I will understand. Please." He pleaded but she shook her head resolutely. He groaned and closed his eyes.

"Fine… but I warned you." He said, seemingly giving up the fight. She watched tensely as his whole body ached off the floor, his head tossing wildly as he thrashed soundlessly on the hardened floorboards.

"Oh god…" She whispered and covered her face in her hands, unable to watch. A heavy silence descended on the office but Belle refused to open her eyes.

"Robert?" She asked quietly and a soft giggle reached her ears. She gasped, for she knew that giggle. Slowly, her hands trembling, Belle drew her fingers away from her face and opened her eyes.

"Hello dearie!" The man before her said teasingly, his black eyes flashing playfully as his strident voice trailed into a high, semi-hysterical trill. Belle opened her mouth, her brow furrowing deeply.

"Robert?" She asked warily and the man sitting not a few inches from her gasped, placing a hand to his chest in mock outrage.

"Belle, I'm hurt… don't you remember me? You danced so wonderfully the night of your birthday, and I can still remember a brave, young maid coming to talk with complete stranger through a chink in the wall…" He murmured, his thumb and forefinger tips meeting in a perfect circle as he stared at her with no small amount of amusement. Belle's mouth fell open in complete shock.

"Rum? But you're… Robert he… how is this…" She trailed off and the cane in her hands rolled out of her limp fingers, clattering on the wooden floorboards. Her head began to spin and she grasped the edge of the table for support. Robert, or Rum as it now seemed, stared at her; a worried frown crossing over the familiar yet strangely foreign features. Belle swallowed.

"This isn't possible, Robert if this is some joke it's not funny… at all." She said tartly and Rum rolled his eyes.

"Oh dearie, if Robert were the joking type it would be something much less painful than what he just had to go through… besides he doesn't have the imagination to come up with something as brilliant as me." Rum said and Belle recognised the voice instantly as her faceless friend and dance partner rolled confusingly into one. Her stomach dropped and she felt violently ill.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She said softly and Rum lunged backwards to press himself almost comically against the wall behind him.

"Feel free, just mind the shoes." He teased and Belle swallowed thickly, her mind and gut reeling. All those times she thought she was speaking to someone else, all the things she said to Rum came flooding back in a blinding, heart stopping second.

"Oh god." She moaned and pressed a hand to her lips.

"You've been here all this time? Inside Robert?" She asked tentatively and Rum nodded slowly, his obsidian eyes watching her warily as though afraid she would suddenly decide to throw up on him. All the puzzle pieces came sliding back together and she scowled inwardly.

"Well, it's not as if I can get up and walk away… oh wait, yes I can!" He cackled and did so, not so much as wincing as he clambered to his feet and began to waltz about the room. Belle could have sworn he was humming. She felt her mind struggle to comprehend the image before her. For so long she had accustomed herself to seeing a limping, rather stony face Robert that the childish, free moving man before her seemed almost entirely alien. It was a grotesque parody of her wishful thinking, surely this wasn't actually happening. She suddenly remembered her confused feelings for the voice behind the wall and blushed slightly. If there was a positive in this situation it was that it certainly killed two birds with one stone. She cleared her throat nervously and the prancing figure paused, turning to face her. Rum brought his hands together, the fingertips pressing together at the tips in a way that was so entirely Robert that Belle felt her heart clench. It was him, but it wasn't either. She felt incredibly confused. She swallowed, realising he was gazing at her expectantly.

"I'm afraid I don't understand; how can you be him?" She asked and he huffed.

"It's a rather long and extremely boring story, if I'm to be completely frank." He muttered and pressed his pointed fingers to his lips. Belle swallowed again and licked her own desert-dry lips. She took a fumbling step towards him, but stopped suddenly.

"Why are you inside Robert?" She demanded, her chin jutting forwards angrily. Rumple sniggered and clapped merrily. Then his gaze darkened and he pointed an accusing finger at her.

"What makes you think I'm inside our beloved Bobby? For all you know Belle, he could be the actual usurper." He said seriously and Belle faltered. Wordlessly she gaped at him as he tutted mockingly. No, it couldn't be true. Her Robert was real… but so was Rum. Her heart lurched and she drew a shuddering breath.

"I'm so confused." She muttered and pressed a hand to her forehead. She needed to sit down. She spotted a chair by the fireplace and took a step towards it. Her numbed feet stumbled over thin air and, too sudden to even cry out, she felt herself tipping forwards. She closed her eyes and waited for impact, only to feel two strong arms wrap themselves around her waist and gently set her right. Slowly she opened her eyes, and met the concerned black eyes of Rumple. Her head screamed at her to get away, to run as hard and as fast as she could away from this place and from him but, she simply couldn't. Those eyes had looked at her the exact same way, so many times in the past that she couldn't have looked away if she tried. Without realising Belle lifted her hand and placed it, still trembling slightly, against Rum's cheek and his eyelids drifted shut, a deep sigh escaping his lips. She could have believed it was Robert holding her sweetly and securely against him, but that wasn't fair to the man who held her now.

"Rum, what's going on… I don't understand what's going on." She said weakly and his eyes flickered open once more. He didn't say a word but he gently escorted her to her favourite armchair by the fire, seating her down carefully and even raising his hand to brush back a stray tendril of her hair. His hand froze beside her cheek and clenched into a tight fist before he drew it back. Belle's heart broke but she didn't say a word. Her own emotions were in so much turmoil it was impossible to tell what she was feeling besides exhaustion. Her shoulders slumped and she tucked her arms about herself as a chill swept down her spine.

"Did you kill Gaston?" She asked quietly and Rum's whole body went rigid. He looked up and met her gaze squarely.

"Yes." He said simply and Belle nodded.

"Did Robert?" She asked and he shook his head.

"No. He spoke truthfully." He said firmly and Belle swallowed, a single tear escaping.

"You see through each other's eyes." She said and he cocked his head thoughtfully.

"Sometimes, I suppose it's almost like dreaming… I'm there but I'm not in control or even fully aware of what's around me. Only when he's emotionally 'compromised' can I come to the surface. After all he has spent the best part of 16 years keeping a lid on me and if I'm to admit one thing about the old sod, his determination has paid off… oh shut up Bobby." He said suddenly and Belle gasped.

"He's still there?" She asked and Rum flinched, as though hearing someone shout at him.

"Yes." He said after a moment and looked up at Belle with a playful grimace.

"Unfortunately." He continued and snorted. Belle exhaled shortly.

"Can you two stop gossiping a few minutes and actually tell me what this is all about? If you keep putting it off, I swear to God I'll box both your ears." She said sharply and had the distinct feeling that two people were gazing at her in astonishment through those deep black eyes. She raised her chin and waited, tapping her fingers against her forearms pointedly. Rum sighed dramatically and stood, flourishing his hand regally and waltzing away to sit down in the chair opposite her. He crossed his legs and leant back, taking his own sweet time to ready himself.

"Ahem." Belle said impatiently and he chuckled.

"Impatient?" He asked and Belle scowled.

"If you're going to behave like a five year old then I want Robert back." She threatened and the gleam left Rum's eye. He scowled and glared broodingly over at her.

"Fine… but I must warn you, the tale is long and incredibly tedious." He said and Belle shrugged.

"I have all the time in the world." She said frostily and Rum sighed. He tapped his chin and made an odd, pensive noise as though wondering where to begin.

"You are of course aware of our son, Baelfire… you are familiar too of the fact that he is no longer with us." He said and his voice grew quite cold. Belle nodded. The man before her sighed.

"I suppose dearie, this story begins during the war. We both enlisted, shortly after Bae turned 16 and we were sent to France in under a month… cannon fodder really!" He said softly and Belle gasped. From the depths of her waistband she drew out the old photograph she'd taken from Henry and flipped it to gaze at the writing on the back.

"Not Guild, Gold." She said breathlessly and heard Rum cluck.

"What is that?" He asked slowly and she looked up to see him pointing at the photo in her hands with an odd look on his face. Belle smiled and held the photo up for him to see.

"Baelfire Gold, June 29th 1916." She said and watched as a bizarre array of emotions crossed Rum's face. For a moment his eyes flashed amber and Belle realised that Robert was trying to break through but then the iris' darkened once more and her fiendish companion was back. He held out his hand and Belle reluctantly handed him the photo. He stared at it in silence, his face an unreadable mask.

"Where did you get this?" He asked quietly and Belle shrugged.

"It must have been while I was cleaning." She lied and he frowned.

"That is a lie." He said softly and Belle swallowed when she saw his fist clench around the photo. He glared up at her and his eyes were no longer warm, they were spitting with icy rage.

"Where did you get this photograph?" He demanded and Belle shrank back in her chair. Bravely she raised her chin and glared at him.

"Where?!" He spat and Belle scowled.

"Why does it matter?" She asked and he drew a ragged breath.

"Because it means that he's still alive." Rum said wretchedly and the flat tone was at definite odds with his usually childish persona. He looked up at her and Belle knew that Robert was there too.

"Please Belle, where did you get this photo?" He asked and she sighed.

"Henry." She said and he frowned.

"Henry?" He repeated doubtfully and the hand that held the photo fell limply to his side. His anger drained from him like water and he shook his head.

"What happened to Baelfire?" Belle asked and Robert groaned.

"We both fought in the Somme Offensive. For 3 bloody months we fought that bloody battle and for what? 40 bloody miles of bloody ground!" He said bitterly and Belle frowned.

"Robert you mean?" She said and Rum started.

"Of course, I'd quite forgotten that Robert and Baelfire fought. I didn't come until later. After all these years it's hard to distinguish individual memories." He said softly, and somewhat sardonically.

"What happened then?" She asked tightly and Rumple's mouth twisted into a vicious smirk.

"Why, Robert's leg was almost blown half to hell dearie… he and Bae's troop were ambushed during a routine scouting mission. Robert just got away with his life and spent a whole month recovering in a German field hospital." He said and Belle felt her stomach drop.

"German!" She exclaimed and Rum nodded dramatically.

"He'd accidently snagged a jacket from a German corpse out on the field… they mistook him for one of their own and brought him in, only they realised as soon as he woke that they'd gotten the wrong man... his brogues a bit of a giveaway." Rum said and Belle gnawed at her knuckle.

"Then what?" She asked and Rum flourished lazily.

"He spent another month under heavy enemy supervision; half crazed with fever and eventually abandoned when the Allies advanced rapidly during the end of October." Rum said and Belle sighed with relief. Then a thought struck her like a hammer blow.

"What about Bae?" She asked and the man before her shuddered.

"He was declared missing in action… presumed dead." He replied flippantly and Belle winced. The loathing she heard in his voice made her want to curl up and cry.

"The Allies blamed Robert for the ambush. Apparently their unit wasn't supposed to have been there and the fact that he was alive when everyone else had been found dead or missing cemented him as a turn-coat coward… he was treated like a leper for the rest of the offensive and finely sent home in disgrace." Rum said bitterly and Belle gasped.

"But it wasn't his fault." She said and Rum glanced at her in shock. She shook her head firmly.

"It was not your fault Robert, I know you can hear me and know what you're thinking but you can't think that what happened was your fault." She said seriously and the brown haired man before her fell silent. Decided to change tact Belle cocked her head thoughtfully.

"I still don't understand how you came to be. I mean I've heard of shell-shock but, nothing like this." She said and Rumple actually laughed. Well it was actually something of a demented giggle. It was shrill and a rather disturbing sound to hear emanating from a grown man but one she recognised as totally Rumple's. Despite herself she smiled weakly. He pointed a finger at her accusingly.

"Ah, I saw that." He teased and Belle quickly hid her smile. He tutted amusedly.

"Can't take it back." He said tauntingly and Belle rolled her eyes.

"Just keep talking." She reminded him and he smirked.

"Very well sweetheart." He muttered and Belle's heart clenched painfully.

"The Somme Offensive finished in the November of 1916, the Allies won 40 miles of territory and we all went home for Christmas… except of course Baelfire. Robert was treated for his wounds in a London hospital and met with another man who had fought on the Front. He'd been blinded by mustard gas… both were lone survivors of a German ambush, both were very angry men." Rum said and Belle frowned.

"So?" She said and Rum sniggered.

"I was getting to it dearie." He said snidely and she blushed.

"As I was saying Zuzo and Robert were, how to put this, rather driven to have their revenge on those who had attacked them. Zuzo was stone blind but he had the money and the connections to fund a secret project that would help them both get the revenge they wanted." Rumple said and Belle licked her lips nervously.

"And what did this project involve?" She asked and Rumple smiled cockily.

"Me." He said and Belle frowned.

"I don't…"

"Think dearie! Robert was lame and Zuzo blind, both of them needed to regain their previous bodily states to get the revenge they sought and the only way they could do so was through the services of a man who claimed to be able to restore what had been taken away, a wizard of sorts." He said mockingly and a dark look had entered his eyes.

"What happened?" She asked and Rum huffed.

"Well, long story short a pair of young scientists, a Dr Henry Jekyll and his associate Dr Victor Whale, were able to create a serum that temporarily restored Robert's body to its previous state. It was too late for Zuzo's eyes, we tried but apparently the damage was simply too great… it was another story for Robert." He said and Belle raised an eyebrow.

"I can see that." She said and he giggled.

"Oh stop it." He said gushingly and stood, sweeping away to bow extravagantly before her.

"As you can see the serum had other effects too, ones no-one had expected but were oddly efficient anyway." He said and cocked his head to flutter his eyelids flirtaciously at her through his eyebrows. Belle snorted despite herself and he gasp in feigned offense.

"Anyway." He said deliberately and Belle shook her head bemusedly as he went on.

"With a trunk full of serum and a head full of me, Robert returned to France and tracked down the members of the band that had ambushed his unit… and one by one I killed them." He said remorselessly. Belle sighed.

"I had the last man in my hands, and with his final breaths he told us that Baelfire was still alive… and had been kept during the Somme offensive and even afterwards because he bore a striking resemblance to a major General's son and they wanted to extract information from him. Needless to say, his whereabouts where recovered and Robert soon on the warpath to find him." Belle felt her mouth fall open in astonishment.

"He didn't die." She said happily and Rumple sighed.

"It might have been better if he had, by the time Robert found him… Bae was not the same. He brought him home, to Scotland, and it seemed for a while that everything was going to be alright… until Robert realised that I was not a temporary fix." He said, his tone indicating enough of the story for Belle to connect the dots. Evidently the serum was no longer a necessary part of the operation.

"Baelfire wanted no reminders of his time during the war. It was still early days for Robert and I, he was not in as much control of me as he is now and I broke out frequently. I made a real mess of the situation and eventually we had to leave Scotland… with Zuzo's help we came to America and settled in New York." Rum looked a little guilty at this point but Belle was too fascinated to care.

"Then what?" She asked, leaning forward in her chair.

"With my help, Robert fashioned himself a name and a reputation. Baelfire couldn't stand it, despite what he'd been through, and despite the terrors he'd suffered he couldn't stand New York and he couldn't stand around watching his father slip further and further into madness. It was what he saw me as, a mere disease that could be cured." Rumple said tartly and Belle felt a twinge of sympathy for him.

"He begged Robert to see someone, unaware that all this time Robert had been trying to find ways to be rid of me. A rift opened between them and eventually it came to an ultimatum, either I went or he did. Robert was distraught. You see, there's a funny thing about our condition; we are two sides of a somewhat demented coin." He said and Belle frowned. Disentangling her limbs from the armchair, she stood and, her arms still wrapped firmly around her torso, came to stand before Rumple.

"He couldn't do it, could he? He couldn't give you up, even if he wanted to." She said slowly and Rum smirked.

"Aren't you the bright one? Bingo dearie, you hit bullseye at a hundred paces. See, you have to have both of us or neither; you cannot have one."

"Why?" She asked and Rum's smirk grew wider.

"Because Belle, there's no process yet known to man that can remove me from Bobby-dear's body and mind… with him dying in the process." He said and cackled loudly at her stunned expression.

"You mean…?" She trailed off and he clapped gleefully.

"Spot on dearie! Everything comes for a price… nothing in this world is for free. Robert wanted strength, he got it, but for that strength he had to sacrifice something. If I go, Robert dies." He said triumphantly and Belle felt her head begin to spin. Vaguely she heard Rum's shout of surprise but not before her vision tunnelled and the world around her went black.

**Now, before you go and say I made her Mary Sueish please take into consideration what Belle has been through in the last 48 hours. She's been branded a harlot by society, she lost her virginity, found out that her ex-fiance's suicide was in fact a murder cover up, found out that said ex-fiance was murder by the man she gave her virginity to, proceeded to find out that this man has a split personality from a dodgy serum created by two rather scrupulous characters, discovered that the split personality is actually an old friend/confidante and that if her lover's second self is removed he will die. All in all, I think a fainting spell is well in order, it is after all the way the brain deals with emotional stress and trauma. Belle is strong but she'd not bullet proof, considering what I've put her through for the last three or four chapters, I think she deserves a time out. **

**It also give Rum/Robert a chance to straighten a few things out… you don't think I mentioned all of his backstory do you? I mean, what happened really between him and Baelfire? Was he to blame for the ambush? What happened to Moraine? And where is Baelfire now? Please send in your reviews, you know how much I love them… love to all my dearies. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**Oh god, I am a terrible person aren't I? I just disappeared off the face of the earth for about six months, I hope I don't disappoint anyone, this chapter should have enough little goodies for people the snack on until I blow out the next blockbuster chapter. That being said, to everyone who has been waiting so patiently, so faithfully for this new chapter, thanks so much. You guys are amazing and I honestly couldn't have done it without you. Please, take these chocolate chips cookies and this chapter as token of my apology?**

_**Dear God, what have we done?**_

_What have we done? What have you done!_

_**She deserved the truth Robert.**_

_She always knew the truth Rum._

_**She knew a variance of the truth and there is a difference. **_

_Shut up, I was trying to protect her from this… madness._

_**You were doing what you always do, hiding away from the world so you don't get hurt.**_

_Big words for someone like you._

_**Only if I was lying mon ami.**_

_Enough! Where is that goddamned Lucas woman?_

_**Taking too long, evidently.**_

_I concur, where is she...?_

_**If we weren't just paying her in board and food I'd put forth the motion to dock her pay.**_

_Seconded, the woman is taking much too long… and she's getting old now… might have to replace- _

_**Stop! Belle would hate this and it's getting us nowhere.**_

_I concede._

_**I'm really enjoying this getting along thing. It gives me a warm, fluffy feeling in the depths of my heart. **_

_You don't have a heart._

_**I'm hurt. That was unnecessarily harsh Bobby. **_

_Good, rub some salt on it. _

_**And here I was thinking we were getting along swimmingly. **_

_Wouldn't want to encourage useless contemplation._

_**Again, I'm very hurt by all this. **_

_And again, I'm not seeing a downside. _

_**Why are you so antagonistic?**_

_Why are you so aggravating?_

_**Touché. **_

…

_**Did you say something?**_

_What would I have to say to you?_

_**I don't know, maybe you fancied the weather today, or maybe you wanted to communicate your rising frustration with another person. **_

_Once more, why would I want to vent with you?_

_**I don't understand why you don't? It's free, private and I know us inside and out. **_

_Very amusing, come up with that yourself._

_**It's not like I have anyone else to bounce ideas off these days, exclusion from society tends to bring genius into the equation.**_

_Dearie, maybe you should take it a step further. _

_**Please explain.**_

_Exclusion, maybe you should take it a step further and just retire from reality altogether. _

_**I know you can't mean that, you'd miss me way too much. **_

_Do you exist to vex me?_

_**Perhaps, though it wasn't the reason you made me. **_

_So help m- she waking up!_

_**What!**_

_Belle._

_**Belle. **_

_OoOoOoO_

"Belle? Sweetheart please, open your eyes."

Belle roused slowly from the drifting fog that swamped her mind. Gradually, feeling returned to her limbs, she could feel it coursing through her like a gentle river. It trickled into her extremities and, finally, she gained enough strength to ease her eyelids open. Everything blurred around her and she groaned.

"Lucas!" A harsh voice called from her left. Moments later Belle felt a warm arm wrap itself around her shoulders and help her into an upright position. Her vision still slightly tunnelled, she became aware of a cup being held to her lips and sipped eagerly. The water inside was cool and sharp, vaguely metallic and quite refreshing. Her fog began to clear and she felt dimly annoyed when Granny removed the cup from her lips… too soon in her opinion.

"You'll make yourself sick Belle, and you've given us enough of a turn today thank you." The white haired woman Belle now recognised said mildly. With a heavy sigh the brunette pushed herself higher up the settee with weakened arms, reposing against the back and gazing around the office in bewilderment.

"What happened?" She asked quietly and Granny sat down on the settee, her face creased with concern.

"You fainted. Mr Gold was ready to call the doctor if you didn't come around soon." Belle frowned and looked around the room again, surprised to see the man in question was on the other side of the room, facing the great windows that looked out over the Hudson and, by extension, with his back to her and Granny. Granny followed her gaze and it sharped as she took in the lean figure by the window.

"He's been standing there since you started coming to, refused to leave your side before that and now look at him, stiff as broiled beef." She muttered and Belle swallowed. Memories returned but she dismissed them. Her eye was suddenly caught by a book lying on the floor near the fireplace.

"My book?" She murmured and Robert finally turned from the window. With the light streaming in from behind him, she couldn't define any of his semi-shrouded features but she knew he was staring at her intently.

"Oh yes, Mr Gold?" Granny said expectantly and the man limped forward, bending when he reached the fallen novel and tipped it over to read the cover.

"The Strange Incident of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde." He read aloud and Belle's thoughts suddenly aligned. Of course, it must have been a dream. She held out her hand for the precious book and, almost cautiously, Robert walked towards her. As he approached she smiled up at him and accepted the proffered article, holding it close and peering over its pages idly.

"You said I fainted? Gosh, I never do that." She said suddenly and Granny clucked disapprovingly.

"I said as much and I still think we should send of the doctor." She said in a huff and Belle smiled placatingly, placing a hand on the woman's wrist and squeezing gently.

"I'll be alright. I'm tougher than I look, you know." She said bracingly and Granny smiled fondly. She stood and looked down on her charge, her lips twisting slightly as she did so.

"Yes, and I have dinner to think about." Granny muttered furiously, glaring at Robert as though this was all his fault. The man stayed silent under her furious gaze and waited patiently for the elderly cook to leave. A tension Belle hadn't realised was in his shoulders suddenly disappeared as the door closed.

"Robert, what's wrong?" She murmured and he sighed.

"What do you remember?" He asked carefully and Belle frowned.

"I remember a fight, we were arguing about Gaston… I remember…" She trailed off and shook her head, trying to dismiss the fantastical images that were resurfacing from the depths of her mind's eye. Of all things, Robert appeared to be _prancing _about the room. Belle rubbed her arms to ward of the slight chill in the room.

"Yes?" He asked earnestly and she sighed, dropping her hands to her lap.

"A dream." She said quietly and held out the novel in her hands.

"A rather fantastic and, altogether, puzzling dream." Robert was so still Belle wondered if he'd be petrified, his gloved hands tightened around the head of his cane and she tried to peer up into his face. It occurred to her suddenly that the only light in the room was coming from the window and that dusk had long been setting in. The room was almost completely dark and try as she might, Belle could only make out the bare features of her lover's face in the gloom. She put her book down on the settee and held out her hand to him pleadingly.

"Robert, why are you so far away?" She asked desperately and he took a faltering step towards her before stopping once again.

"Was it a good dream?" He asked quietly, his voice hardly raised above a whisper but carried through the still air as though shouted. Panic bells began to ring in Belle's head and she curled her fingers into a tight fist.

"Robert, what's going on?" She demanded, her throat caught and she realised she was crying. How stupid, she wondered idly.

"Belle!" Robert's voice was anxious, concern riddled every inch of him as he skirted her face tenderly with his fingertips and sat down in the exact spot Granny had vacated. His hand finally came to rest of her leg, innocently grazing the flesh of her upper knee and even in the gloom she could see the tension had returned. Her tears had stopped and she whiped at the drops irritably. His cane was now resting against the edge of the couch, his gloved fingers smoothing her hair away from her face.

"Nothing Belle, I was just worried about… you scared me." He said softly and Belle's throat caught at the unexpected admission. Robert Gold was not one to admit to being frightened, especially when others were involved. She leaned forward and eased her arms around his shoulders, hanging slightly against his frame as she gazed up into his face. Despite the tiny gap between their faces, the dim light revealed his eye-line was elsewhere. He was studiously avoiding her gaze and she pressed a gentle kiss against the gently throbbing spot on his neck, pleased when his breath left him in a quick rush.

"Belle you've just been…" He protested and tried to disentangle himself from her but she held him fast, moving quickly to settle herself on his lap and wrap her arms more securely around his neck. Mindful of his leg she moved to trace his beloved face with her fingertips, outlining the sharp lines of his eye sockets, nose and jaw, coming to rest on his lips. She leaned close to press her lips against his, a chaste movement she drew away from quickly.

"I'm fine now. I'm not hurt." She reminded him comfortingly and he swallowed audibly. His hands were resting on the settee and his body was a rigid as a post. She licked her suddenly dry lips, aware of the position they were in and feeling the familiar smile sneak across her lips. One arm detached from around his neck and she began to fiddle with the topmost buttons of his suit… only to find her process haltered by lightning fast hands. She glanced up in confusion and saw his whole countenance was taunt with apparent pain.

"Robert? What's wrong? Am I hurting you?" She asked worriedly, moving off his legs hurriedly. He shook his head slowly, tugging her other hand from around his neck and folding both her hands into her lap. Feeling like a mildly disciplined child Belle struggled to control her affront. Robert's face seemed to shake with the effort of controlling some sort of reaction and suddenly Belle needed to see his eyes. In the darkened room they were mere glints of dark reflection and she couldn't read him. Robert Gold could say a lot without saying anything at all. His eyes spoke for him, and without them, she was more than lost. There was a standing lamp behind his head and she reached cautiously passed his head to pull on the cord. With a click, light suddenly blazed the scene and Belle's instinctive shielding of her eyes was all the distraction Robert apparently needed to shift her whole weight to one side and spring from the settee. Belle scrabbled to face him but he had his back to her once more and moved off into the room… his cane still lying against the settee.

"Rum." She murmured and the man froze, one hand falling to his side and clasping at the empty air that would have housed the top of his cane. Then he began to move again, striding emphatically across the floor his hands now running through his hair in what Belle could only call distress. She rose without thinking and stepped towards him.

"NO!" He roared and she froze, staring at him with wide eyes. He kept pacing, not looking at her or pausing a moment. His shoulders were shaking and she could see his lips were moving, in fierce conversation with Robert no doubt, and Belle inched forward again, earnest to help. She didn't know why she still stayed, why she didn't just flee from this dysfunctional reality. Everything had changed, Robert's dishonesty, Rum's reveal and her own mixed emotions when it came to the pair of them, all of it piled up inside her like some gaseous cloud moments from exploding in a summer heatwave.

"Rum, stop." She said quietly and he froze, mid-stride.

"Look at me." She ordered and after a moment's pause, the wiry man turned to face her, his handsome face lined with anguish and his deep, onyx eyes glittering in the light of the lamp behind her.

"Belle… I…" He gestured uselessly and collapsed into silence. She stepped towards him, coming to stand right before his face and his instinctive flinch hurt more than she though it should have. His hands were fluttering about restlessly and she reached out to catch one but he exhaled sharply and stepped back, his movements too spritely, too energetic to belong to the same man whose body he shared. It was a surreal experience but Belle was determined, she would not be frightened off so easily.

"Rum, what's wrong?" She demanded and he scowled blackly.

"What's wrong, what's wrong, what's wrong… everything!" He shouted suddenly and she swallowed heavily, flinching but not stepping away as his face contorted into a grotesque mask.

"You can't know dearie, you cannot possibly understand what it's like to live your whole life without talking to anyone outside the man who wants you dead more than anything else in the world. You cannot comprehend the sheer insanity that brings to a man and then… and then…" He drew a deep shuddering breath and cocked his head towards her, tendrils of sable hair falling across his lean features.

"Then a voice, a single, gleaming voice pierces the darkness. At first, you don't believe it, you try to be rational and ignore it because you cannot deserve something so wonderful, so pure. A voice like a brief glimmer of light in an… an ocean of darkness, like a rope that saves you from drowning, a hand that pulls you back from the precipice you were inches from stepping off." He covered his face in his hands and Belle felt her heart crack when she saw the slim shoulders shaking with sobs.

"Oh Belle, you cannot know how much I love you. I love you with every miserable fibre of my wretched being, but I can never have you. Or even dream of it. You are never to be mine, you make Robert so very happy, the happiest he has been since I destroyed the only relationship that ever brought him joy… oh Belle, you are his and you can never be mine. Not while I'm just the hated shadow of a miserable man." He trailed off and sunk to his knees, his head bowed and his narrow shoulders shuddering with terrible sobs.

Belle sank to her knees beside him. One hand reached out tremulously and when he only flinched beneath her touch she drew even closer. Wrapping her arms around his head Belle gently held him against her chest, soothing his thick hair with her fingers like a mother would to comfort her crying child. He clung to her and it seemed as though he yearned to press his very fingerprints into her skin. In his misery he could think only of having her close.

Her emotions were in uproar. She'd longed to hear the words 'I love you' spoken by Robert, believing that the admission would heal some fractured part of her soul, but Rum's heart-rending confession only plunged her in more confusion and… strangely enough anger. She didn't know how or why she was so angry, or rather which part of the situation she was most upset about. Robert had lied to her, not directly but in silence and distrust, and his secrets had caused harm to not just himself but to those around him. His son, Rum and she herself were victims of a long and callous game, an unfair twist of fate that Robert could no more rectify that a fish learn to fly. Yet, as she held the sobbing man in her arms, Isabelle de Boire felt utterly furious with him. It was entirely unfair to her, to put all of this on her, to be this way to… she drew back slightly and scowled.

"I'm his am I?" She demanded furiously and Rum drew back in confusion, his face creased with almost infantile bewilderment.

"That's what you said. That I am his and can never be yours, like I'm some parcel or package that cannot decide my own feelings and my own thoughts. Am I really such an object to you both?" She spat viciously and felt a twinge of guilt at the way Rum flinched and his eyes glimmered with reproach. What she was saying wasn't fair, he loved her but she was hurting too.

"Belle I'm sorry." He whispered and she sneered. Pulling away she stood abruptly and turned her back on him. Her hands flew to her hips and she began to do her own pacing.

"I can't believe the two of you. Squabbling over something as infantile as… oh! You are a pair of complete idiots, you have about as much sense as a clutch of chickens and I…" She pulled up short and drew a deep breath.

"And I am going for a walk." Belle said firmly and turned to the door without another word.

"Belle, please come back!" Rum pleaded but Belle shook her head. Holding a hand out to him she glared at him with a baleful eye. He held her gaze for a moment before slumping pitifully against the leg of the settee. She watched him for another heartbeat then turned on her heel and marched down the corridor to the elevator. On the way across the foyer Mary Margret called out to her but Belle had no stomach for conversing with others and so nodded shortly before striding out the door. She realised her mistake almost as soon as she walked out into the night air, which brisked and sliced at her arms and face. Holding her arms around herself she trudged through the rapidly darkening streets, barely seeing people around her and just trying to think of anything but what was behind her. It was well past sundown by the time she entered Tin-City, a desolate and depressing settlement in the centre of a great park some ten or so blocks away from The Palace. Here Belle slowed to a leisurely walk and actually began to take in her surroundings. The ground beneath her feet was rutted and strewn with garbage, a foul, clinging scent hung in the air and she saw thin, haggard faces peering out from the confines of corrugated prisons. Children didn't laugh, there were no old people and the men and women that hurried by her did so without pause or care, their misery and exhaustion straining faces paler than the waning moon high above. Eventually Belle's feet began to hurt and she gazed around for a place to sit. She spotted a small rocky ledge of what might have been a garden wall which would do for a quick pitch. Carefully she removed her shoe and rubbed at the soles of her feet, easing the ache from them and gazing around the dilapidated city.

"You are new here, non?" A soft, lightly accented voice called from behind her and Belle whirled around to see a woman of middling years with grey streaks gleaming out of chestnut curls she had covered with a patched woollen scarf, standing on the path behind her. Her face was wan with weeks of waiting, her mouth slightly pinched and her dark eyes were laden with the permeating sorrow of Tin-City. In her arms she held a basket filled with an assortment of washing, about as large as a small child, and she was gazing at Belle with a frank but compassionate gaze. Eventually what she had said sunk in and Belle shook her head.

"Um, no Madame. I am just resting here." She said and the woman chuckled hollowly.

"Resting? Not many people have the luxury of that these days. What is your name?" She asked curiously, stepping forward to peer short-sightedly at Belle. Belle replaced her shoe and stood.

"Belle de Boire." She said and the woman smiled brightly.

"Ah! You are French, non?" She asked excitedly and Belle couldn't help but smile back at the woman obvious enthusiasm.

"I'm afraid I was born here, in America, but my father came from France before the war." She said placatingly and the woman clapped her hands joyously.

"Oh, manifique! Come, come, it's not good for a girl to be out by herself." She said and indicated for Belle to follow her away from the garden. Belle stayed where she was.

"Who are you?" She asked suspiciously and the woman turned around slowly.

"Gabrielle Louis." She said simply and turned away to walk again. Seeing no other option Belle followed Madam Louis and together they traversed the settlement, stopping every now and again to collect clothing from other pinch-faced women. There was no curiosity in these women's faces, only fixed expressions of determination. They asked no questions, only tipped a tip of bronze in Madame Louis' hand and turned to re-enter their homes, more often than not bursting with crying children, yapping dogs and boiling pots. Belle gazed around at the poverty in shock, being away from the cold and damp of home had deprived her of the realities of life down in the streets of New York. While life at The Palace was no bed of roses, New York was still in the grips of a depression and there were people a hundred-fold less well off than she. Guilt turned sour in her gut as she followed Madame Louis to a secluded spot some distance from the other hovels, surrounded on three sides by long lines of washing and steel tubs of all sizes. A small, mousy-haired girl bounced out of the house at their approach and kissed Madame Louis on the cheeks.

"Maman, Maman!" She called joyously.

"This is my daughter Minouche, she is training with the tumblers of the Vaudeville show… the best of them all I think." Madame Louis said proudly as she pressed a kiss to her daughter's head. Belle smiled at the dark haired child who glanced up to reveal a freckled face that housed a wide, gap-toothed smile.

"Minouche, mon ange, this is Belle de Boire." Louis said as an introduction and the cherub curtsied sweetly.

"Bonjour Mademoiselle, you are… beautiful?" She said uncertainly, glanced at her mother and smiling when the woman nodded.

"Oui, beautiful." The gap-toothed Minouche murmured and Belle flushed.

"Thank you Minouche." She said quietly and the girl tugged on her hand. She was very young, no more than eight or nine years old and Belle thought of Eva briefly.

"Why are you so sad?" Minouche asked curiously and Madame Louis scowled.

"Minouche!" She remanded and the girl ducked her head.

"No it's alright, I am upset but I realised what I thought was an awful ordeal was really just some stupid thing not worth worrying about... coming here has shown me that." Belle murmured softly and Minouche frowned. So did her mother.

"We don't need your pity Mademoiselle de Boire." She said curtly and Belle gaped, before her cheeks blazed with colour.

"I sincerely apologise Madame Louis, I meant no disrespect. All I meant was that I've been so short-sighted and selfish, my troubles probably don't hold a candle to most people's these days." She said ashamedly and the woman smiled wanly.

"My dear, each of us has troubles, tis God's way of testing our merits. Some are worse off because it must be so and others are incomparably troubled. That does not mean they are any less uncomfortable or hurt by what's happened to them, we each suffer a different torment." She said comfortingly and Belle sighed deeply.

"Ah, a girl only looks that upset when a man is involved. Useless, trouble-making things." Madame Louis muttered and Belle laughed despite herself.

"Good, you can still laugh. That is good." Gabrielle said and dumped her basket of clothes by the door and moved to test the tin kettle boiling over the stove. Minouche planted herself down on the threadbare mattress she obviously shared with her mother and Belle sat down on the slight raise in the doorway as Madame Louis handed her a thin cup of tea that was more water than anything else. Belle gulped it down gratefully.

"Now, tell me what's the matter… is he master or lover?" Madame Louis asked candidly. Belle flushed and looked over at Minouche. Madame Louis waved it off as the young girl grinned.

"Ah, Minouche is wise beyond her years. Go on, your secrets are safe here." Belle paused, cradling her cup.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked and Madame Louis drew her shawl more tightly about her shoulders.

"Because tonight I saw a young, beautiful girl without a coat, sitting in the middle of a shanty-town with a lost look on her face and three men staring at her in a way that made me worry." She answer primly and Belle swallowed heavily. She shakily put the mug down.

"Thank you." She said quietly and the woman cocked her head.

"Tis God's will, we must do to others as we wish to be treated by others. We are all brothers and sisters in his eyes." She said and thumbed at the vacant space of her neckline, where Belle was convinced a rosary would once have hung. That small gesture made her heart squeeze.

"It is about a man." She said, trying to move the conversation away from dangerous ground.

"The man I love actually." Madame Louis snorted.

"Oh course, young girls always reckon themselves in love." She said and Belle frowned. Minouche coughed.

"Did he give you those?" She asked and Belle looked at her. The girl was pointing to the very last remnants of her attack on New Year, which were yellows so faint it was a wonder the girl had seen them at all.

"No, he… he saved my life that night." Belle murmured, gazing at the bruises blandly and Madam Louis sighed.

"But…?" She prodded.

"But I found out today, that he is not the man he told me he was. I love him very much, and I know a part of him loves me too, but he's been hurt and is so afraid of being hurt again that he won't let anyone in. He's convinced the whole world is against him and he won't let me in until it's too late." Belle choked on the last word and stopped, bringing a hand to her lips.

"Sounds like you have a real… Monsieur Complique." Minouche murmured and Belle laughed again.

"I suppose I do." She said softly and Madam Louis nodded slowly.

"But I know it must be nothing to your own troubles so I will just grit my teeth and bare it, like everyone else." Belle murmured and Madame Louis snorted.

"Our troubles began when Minouche's father died. He was not rich nor was he a particularly influential man but he left us enough to have a chance at life here in America." She said softly and Minouche crawled across the space to lean against Belle's shoulder. Belle wrapped an arm around the slim girl's shoulders as she listened to the older woman speak.

"When the depression came we were living by the docks and eventually the money ran out, I resorted to mending clothes and washing laundry, Moinouche does shows every Saturday night with some other kids. The circus is our ticket out of here and if we can convince the director she has potential, we can leave this place for Europe and stay with relatives in France… you see, we make do and adapt. My advice would be for you to do the same. Don't ever run from your troubles, face them and make them work for you." Belle flinched, realising she was running, running hard and fast from her problems. The thought made her blanched. Madame Louis patted her fondly on the head.

"You are neither stupid nor cowardly." She murmured, seeming startled at her own genius. She crossed herself fitfully and Belle soaked in her words. Minouche snuggled into her side and Belle glanced down at the little girl, wondering for the first time what her own children would look like. Her life had never held a place for them but, wherever she turned, she seemed to be finding little vagrants that warmed her heart and steadily eroded the foundations of her reluctance. Perhaps she would have them, some day. A little girl would be nice. Madame Louis shook her shoulder and Belle realised with a start that she had dozed off.

"I was just about to blow out the candle, I realised you have a place to be but we would not mind you staying the night here… give you some time away to gather your strength." She said and Belle was deeply touched.

"Thank you, you are very kind." She said and sat up, Minouche's head falling into her lap as the child continued to doze peacefully. Gabrielle smiled and smoothed her daughter's cheek.

"Precious non?" She asked and Belle nodded. Together they placed the child beneath the thin blankets of the mattress and after extinguishing the light, Belle stripped to her shift and stockings, folding her dress over the top to give the three of them an extra layer of warmth. Gabrielle curled herself around Minouche and peered through the darkness at Belle. A warn, paper-dry hand clutched at Belle's and the two women smiled despite the blinding darkness.

"Do not lose hope in love Belle, it has the power to overcome any obstacle and redeems any man brave enough to accept it. Men realise this later than women of course, but eventually they do and everyone is better off for it." She said and Belle laughed quietly.

"If I'm patient enough, if I give him everything I am, maybe he'll figure it all out and then, just maybe, we will be happy." Belle murmured with a yawn and the woman sighed.

"Just don't give up being you. There's a difference between healing a man through sacrifice, and sacrificing yourself for a man." The Frenchwoman warned and Belle waited until the woman's breathing evened out and slumber overcame the Louis women. For a long time she lay awake in the darkness, blinded but not deafened to the noises of midnight New York. Dogs barked, cars honked and the city thrummed with the constant energy of life. All around the leaves on trees and sheets of iron around Tin-City fluttered in the autumn breezes and the gentle sounds of night eased Belle into a distant floating that eventually carried her into sleep.

_OoOoOoO_

"Wake up Belle!" A small, rapidly moving projectile launched itself into her side and Belle grunted as the wriggling bundle slowly formed into the grinned shape of Minouche Louis. Belle groaned theatrically and clutched at her side, as though the knobbly knees that had collided there had caused her great pain.

"Belle?" Minouche asked worriedly, her hands fluttering over Belle's shoulders and side. Belle suddenly wrapped her arms around the tiny girl's waist and pulled her down beside her, her fingers seeking the sensitive spots beneath Minouche's ribs. Shrieks of laughter filled the hut and they were stopped only by the sound of Madame Louis' cough from the door. The pair turned simultaneously to the chestnut haired woman and Belle quickly rolled out of bed, grabbing the blue dress she had discarded the night before from atop the other blankets.

"Good morning Gabrielle." She murmured as she wriggled into the gown, tying the fastenings closed and running her fingers half-heartedly through her hair. The Frenchwoman waved airily.

"Bonjour Belle, I hope you slept well." She said as she stooped to pick up an empty basket by the door. Belle nodded.

"Yes, thank you." She said breezily.

"I'll get out of your hair now."

"Minouche, make sure Belle gets out of here safely… and come straight back, Monsueir Barkus came earlier and I think he wants to speak to you." Minouche trembled with excitement. Belle went to shake Gabrielle's hand but found herself enveloped in the woman's arms, kisses pressed to the air beside her cheeks. Touched by the display of affection Belle returned the kisses, grasping the woman's arms and smiling gratefully into her glittering brown eyes. The laundress gathered her shawl about her and turned away, muttering about clothes that needed washing and Belle smiled down at the imp beside her.

"Alright, where to?" She asked and Minouche set off at a brisk trot. In the day light Tin-City sparkled, the grime and filth somehow greyed by the presence of sunshine and the people's faces no longer as drawn as before. There were more children about now and several of them ran over to Minouche, whispering excitedly to her and disappearing just as quickly to play tin-can football or jump rope. The little girl chattered incessantly as they walked, pointing out the sights of the township and particular people who she found fascinating. Belle listened and nodded, gazing around and pulling up short as a familiar face surfaced from the crowd.

"Paige?" Belle called and the girl's head whipped around, peering over the heads of children to alight on Belle. For a moment the girl seemed frozen to the spot, then she ran full tilted across the laneway and enveloped Belle in a bone crushing hug. Belle struggled instinctively then wrapped her arms around the girls shoulders when she realised the poor dear was crying.

"It's Grace now, I'm Grace H-Hatter." She sobbed and Belle pulled back to stare at the girl in amazement.

"He found you, he really found you?" She murmured and the mousy-haired teenager nodded, her enormous eyes shimmering with tears.

"Thanks to you, I got off the streets and found my parents all thanks to you Belle de Boire." She said and Belle smiled. Minouche appeared at her elbow and eyes Grace suspiciously.

"Who is this Belle?" She asked warily and Belle chuckled, wrapping an arm around the mite's thin shoulders.

"Minouche, this is Grace Hatter. A friend of mine." Belle said and the two girls eyed each other for a moment.

"I've seen you with the soup kitchens, Mademoiselle Hatter." Minouche murmured and ducked her head respectfully. Grace smiled.

"Yes, after mother and father found out how I'd been living, they set up an initiative with some of the local churches that creates jobs for some of the Tin-City women. Every day we set up a station that makes meals for the elderly and the children here. It's not much, but it stops kids from stealing for food and gives income to those families that were struggling before." Grace muttered and Belle exhaled in amazement.

"That's incredible Grace, you're really making a difference. Small stones will eventually topple a mountain." She said and the young woman smoothed her splattered apron anxiously.

"Are you…?" She began and Belle shook her head.

"No, passing through. I took a walk last night and ended up here, Minouche and her mother gave me a roof to sleep under and I'm heading home now." Belle said and Grace laughed.

"If you have a home, why do you keep running off?" She asked and Belle frowned.

"I… don't know." She said and Grace sniggered.

"Nothing like a night of the streets to clear your head huh?" She muttered and Belle rolled her eyes. She suddenly remembered the children she'd last seen with Grace.

"What happened to the others?" She asked and Grace's pretty face paled.

"Liam and Darcy disappeared one night, their sister went missing and they were desperate to find her. I haven't seen them in weeks." She said and Belle swallowed thickly.

"Ava? Nick?" She asked fearfully and Grace smiled.

"Still reluctant to accept soup from me now I'm what they call 'a proper lady' but they're still here and thriving where they can." She said and Belle sighed with relief.

"Thank goodness." She murmured and felt a tug on her sleeve. Looking down she saw Minouche's anxious face.

"I have to go Belle, Monsueir Barkus is the circus master and…" Belle cut her off.

"Say no more my petite extraordinaire, go and be a fantastic performer." She said and the girl began to tear.

"I don't want you to go." She murmured and Belle swallowed, hugging the thin creature tightly.

"I promise, I will come back and see you. Maybe I'll come to one of your shows?" She said cheerfully and Minouche's eyes widened.

"Would you?" She asked pleadingly and Belle nodded, glad to see a crisis now averted. Waving to the little brunette until she was well out of sight Belle turned to find Grace still standing and waiting for her attention to return.

"I can show you out of here if you need me." She offered and Belle nodded gratefully.

"Wonderful!" Grace said with an excited clap and looped her arm through Belle's, setting off through the gradually thickening crowd. The pair didn't say much, in fact Belle sensed Grace was someone with little to say outside necessity and so they walked together in comfortable quiet until Belle recognised a street skirting the park. It would take her straight to the Palace and she knew it was well past time to be back. Ruby was probably going to kill her, after Robert finished having his fit. She unlooped herself from Grace's grasp and embraced the slim woman.

"Thank you Grace, I wish you all the happiness in the world." She whispered and Grace's lips tugged upwards in an easy curve, bright tresses bobbing as she pulled back.

"Take care Belle." She said as they parted, Belle heading off towards the street, Grace back to her soup station. As she walked Belle pondered her fortunes, aware that for the second time in only a few months she had been given enough chances to make a priest cry miracle. How else could she explain running into people whose guidance and advice steered her to be a braver, better person? Serendipity. Pure and simple serendipity. With a waltz in her step she glided down the sidewalk, smiling at the disapproving frowns of busybodies that would have once made her cringe away in shame. She was past caring what they thought, and nothing was going to spoil her mood now.

_OoOoOoO_

Robert sat idly by the spinning wheel, one hand tracing the sturdy wooden frame as his mind wandered. The moment Belle had left Robert felt the Dark One, or whichever name he went by these days, dissipate from his conscious mind. Now, with an abstract nightmare of a memory torturing his every waking moment, Robert could only sit and… He was not moping. Robert Gold did not mope. He stood up and swore viciously when his knee jerked without the support of his cane.

"Sir?" A voice called through the door and he opened his mouth to shout at the fool Lucas widow.

"If you yell at her I'll make you wish, with genuine fondness, that the rest of your body was like your knee." Belle's voice, her beautiful voice, floated through the door, moments before she herself breezed into his dungeon of an office. Immediately the place seemed to lighten. His mouth clacked shut and she nodded shortly.

"Thanks Granny, I'll be down in half an hour to help out." She murmured to the grey haired woman, who nodded and walked away without so much as a by-your-leave to him. He almost opened his mouth to berate her but thought better of it when he caught sight of Belle's face.

"I think we should sit down for this." Belle said softly and Robert nodded quickly.

"Of course." He murmured and led her over to their chairs by the fireplace. When Belle was comfortably seated he took his own seat, folding both his hands over the top of his cane and staring avidly at the patterns in the woodwork. He'd never noticed before, but there were some peculiar shapes in those floorboards.

"Look at me please." Belle demanded and he lifted his face to hers. She stared into his eyes for a long moment, then nodded.

"Excellent, you're the one I need to talk to right now." She muttered, almost to herself, and Robert almost fell of his chair. She could tell? Between them?

"Don't look so surprised, you may share a body but there is nothing similar about you or Rum." Belle said and Robert swallowed. She seemed almost calm, no she was calm. Completely and utterly at ease with what was happening. How the hell had a city like New York done that to her in a single night?

"Belle, I just want to say…"

"Robert, please- shut up." She said and he clamped his mouth shut, glad that she had cut him off. He'd had no idea what he was going to say anyway.

"Now, we need to set a few things straight. I know about the serum, Bae, and everything that Rum told me yesterday, that's not the issue here." She said and Robert frowned. Not the issue? Seeing his confusion Belle smiled softly.

"Robert, a problem only stays a problem when you let it. Right now, your problem isn't Rum, it's not letting the people who love you, help you. You don't trust anyone." She paused and took a deep breath.

"You never let me in. Not once. Not really. I thought we had decided to trust each other, after everything we've done, and on top of that I've given you everything I had. For God's sake I gave you my word, my services and my body, just to give us a chance at happiness. I would give you my heart too, but you keep slamming the door in my face." She stopped and swallowed, her jewel-bright eyes flickering with tears.

"Belle, sweetheart, it's harder than that. I'm not the easiest man to deal with, and I don't just trust people overnight." He said softly, regretfully, and was startled to see his Belle smile.

"And that's why we need to do this properly." She said firmly and stood up, brushing the dirt from her skirts. He gaped up at her.

"Let's start over okay? We can't miraculously start trusting each other, as you say, overnight. It's going to take time, but with time comes trust. And if I'm going to love you both, all three of us are going to have to change." She said and Robert quirked an eyebrow.

"Both of us?" He repeated and she cocked her head thoughtfully.

"Of course, as Rum pointed out, I can't have just one of you. You have yet to figure out a way of separating yourselves and, as it turns out, I don't want you to. You're both integral parts of why I love you, there's traits in you both that make this relationship worth the effort. Love is layered, it's not easy, but with time, we could do it Robert, and Rum too if you can hear me."

**She loves me?**

"Did he say something?" She asked and Robert nodded slowly. She waited expectantly, but he was not so forthcoming, a lifetime of habit closing in around him.

"Robert, I see that the first thing we need to work on is communicating with each other. Without that, everything will fall apart. What did Rumple say?" She asked persistently and Robert sighed.

"He asked if you loved him dearie, in a way that was both incredulous and fearful." He said sardonically and Belle frowned… pensively.

"I'm not sure. I'm not sure I love you like I did two days ago either Robert. We can never be what we were, but that's just something we'll have to live with." She said finally and Robert felt a painful twinge in his chest. After a moment he screwed together the remnants of his courage.

"Start over you say?" He asked, hoping he didn't sound as tentative as he felt. Belle nodded.

"That means no kisses, no sex and more getting to know each other. We should go on dates, talk more about our likes, our dislikes. That sort of thing." She said encouragingly and Robert couldn't help himself.

"And make daisy chains for each other's hair and sing Kumbyah?" He remarked dryly and, to his delight, Belle laughed.

"If you feel so inclined." She retorted, and that made the three of them laugh.

**She's good for us both. **

_Yes, I do believe she is._

"Alright dearie, let's make a deal." Robert said theatrically and Belle frowned slightly. He held up a hand lightly and went on.

"We'll make a deal to trust one another."

"Robert, you can't just-"

"I wasn't finished sweetheart." He murmured pointedly and she flushed, prettily too.

"As I was saying. We'll make a deal to trust each other, so that…" He paused, swallowing heavily and not believing he was actually going to say this. Belle leaned forward.

"So that, we can leave for Europe and try to find Bae, one last time and then spend as long as we want trying to make this work." He said at last and Belle smiled. It was a sweet, breathtaking smile.

"What are you saying?" She asked excitedly and he exhaled heavily. The weight of the world settled on his shoulders but the path ahead was as sure, as steady as it was ever going to get. She was right, one hundred percent correct. He needed to trust her, he needed to start trusting again period. He needed to start being the man she believed he could be, the better man, so that he could find his boy and know he was a father Bae could be proud of.

"Would you excuse me if I don't get down on my knee?" He asked sarcastically and she sniggered.

"It could be interesting." She remarked dryly, then she covered her mouth in shock. He smiled and watched her aquamarine eyes widen to their absolutely limits.

"Isabelle de Boire, after we've gone to find Bae and with his blessing or in the case that we do not find him before the end of Spring," He drew a deep breath and reached out to clasp her two petite hands between his. They were so light and delicate compared to his, he shouldn't ask, shouldn't make her do this. It was wrong, selfish and terrifying. She was so pure and he so broken, it couldn't possibly work, it shouldn't. But for the first time, in a very long time, the two halves of himself were in perfect sync. For the first time in his life, he knew that he was doing the right thing.

**Do it.**

"Isabelle de Boire… will you marry me?" He asked softly.

**Dun, dun, DUNNNNNN! OMG, did he just…? OMG he did! Come on, be honest, who saw that coming? I sure as hell didn't- I just write what the muse wants and today the muse wanted marriage. But please, for all my angst-buddies out there, there is so much coming up to rock your worlds I almost want to spill it. **

**Please, you all know what comes now right? Do I need to ask? Yes of course, because I'm needy. Please review, I don't deserve it after all the waiting I've put you through but please, please, please, review. **

**Love to all.**


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